Bonding Ties Between Reality and Nonreality
by raitei
Summary: AU. A peasant girl and her two cousins, a prince, two separate godparents, three loyal friends and a stepfamily with ambitious plans. Now doesn't that sound familiar? Mud, flame and wind. Chapter 20: Fitting in pieces of a jigsaw puzzle...
1. The Beginning of the Tale

**Bonding Tales Between Reality and Non-reality**

Disclaimer: Golden Sun is the property of Camelot and Nintendo.

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Chapter 1: Prologue; The Beginning of the Tale

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Once upon a time, a small village existed in the middle of Angara. Bringing the simple name of Imil, this town was known for its beautiful snow and cold winters. The cold winters came every year in Imil; all the inhabitants were used to it, though sometimes the freezing winter caused some unfortunate deaths among the elderly or the vulnerable young children due to pneumonia. Yet, the villagers accepted the fact and continued living there, for death and life was already predestined by fate, or so they firmly believed.

And it was by the hands of fate too, that there lived a couple in a small cottage in the town of Imil, namely Miguel and Saya. They were not well off; their cottage was moderate, they had enough money to last them a simple life, their thick clothing was just enough when the cold winters came. Despite a sickness that had befallen the village and currently had a few villagers under its control whom one of them was Saya herself, they were very happy. Mercury had blessed them, for their first and only wish had been granted, a lovely baby daughter.

The child had inherited her father's blue hair and aqua eyes, and clearly her kind, soft and gentle eyes were from her mother. With much joy and happiness, Miguel and Saya named their blessed daughter Mia with the blessings of the elders of Imil.

As the years passed, Mia grew to be everlastingly beautiful and serene; she was the attraction of many youngsters in her village. She was kind, gentle and caring as what most could see. Though many would have thought she was fragile as she looked, those thoughts were clearly wrong. Many a time the long aqua-haired girl had shown pure determination and maturity, such as when she had taken the job of tending to her sick mother by her own volition at the age of thirteen years old. She was very loved and cherished by her two parents as well as the villagers of Imil.

When Mia turned eighteen, she had blossomed into a lovely young woman; her physical attractive features and personality attracted every single male in the entire village. She captured many young hearts; even a few brave adventurers from other nearby villages stepped into the cold winters of Imil just to ask for her hand in marriage. She had refused them down politely, saying that it was still too early for her, and that she wanted to be a full-time nurse to her sick mother who was getting worse from year to year while her father was out working in a far off place to earn a living for the family.

Such was the life of the young woman, until one day, where her life changed drastically. The many years of pleasantry and happiness in her life was shattered ever since that fateful day...

---o---

Another year had passed; and when the freezing winter came, it was later on described as the worst winter ever faced by the inhabitants of Imil. Many of the elderly and the young fell sick. Worst of all, the freezing temperature and atmosphere did not benefit Mia's mother, Saya, at all. She turned for the worse; Mia could easily see that.

She feared for the worst; she knew this day would come but she had always shaken the thought off, for she hardly liked to think of such horrendous matters. All the time where she had nursed her mother, she could see that her condition was not improving at all, but nor was she turning for the worse. All of the nursing arts that her mother had taught and passed down to her ever since young managed to keep her sickness at bay, but it was never totally curbed.

Only when the cold and freezing weather came did this catastrophe happen.

She loved her precious mother dearly, a thousand times more than words could have ever described; no one else could ever substitute her mother. She had been so kind, gentle and loving... all the while always caring for Mia more than she did to herself. Never a time had she spend a moment on herself, all of her time were lavished on her husband, her child and the villagers whom she cared very much for.

As it happened to be, Saya was one of the best nurses Imil had ever had in their time. Her nursing and dedication in saving countless people's lives had earned her the name 'The Healer'. She would tend to the sick assiduously, looking after them continuously, treating their wounds carefully, executing her same routine everyday tirelessly. Many depended on her, for she was a very important asset to the whole village. She had even given rise to her own orphanage for the young children.

Millions of thoughts raced through her mind as the quiet young woman sat on a chair nearby her mother. She quickly snapped out of her thoughts and rose up from her chair when she heard a sickly groan coming from her mother. "Mother, are you all right?" she asked anxiously, worry in her tone. Her mother had been unconscious for five hours straight, and in that period of time a silent dread had filled her heart.

Saya opened her deep hazel eyes and smiled at her daughter. "Mia..." she coughed, her voice dry and croaky.

"No, mother, please, don't speak. Save your energy for your recovery," interrupted Mia. She smiled reassuringly at her mother, though deep inside the smile was a fake all the way; her heart ached so much at the thought one that she held so dear. Her mother was part of what that formed her own heart, and so it felt as though her heart would collapse and crumble into shards anytime soon.

The older woman shook her head slightly. "There is no need for that, my dear," said she as she coughed again, "I know when my time nears... and I am not afraid nor sad to go." She spoke softly but firmly.

"No! Mother, that can't be! You'll pull through!" Mia's determined voice cracked a little.

Why was fate so cruel to her mother? Had she done any injustice in her life to be punished so severely? Everyone knew that Saya was infuriated on the moment she was put to bed due to her sickness, for she hated to be a helpless burden to anyone.

Everyone knew that the main reason why she had delved into nursing arts was because she wanted to be the one saving, and not the one being saved.

Her mother just smiled again, her thin, pale hand patting her beloved daughter's head. "It's been so many years ever since I fell sick... it's certain I won't get well anymore. I know that...and I know that you are aware... of that yourself."

"But Mother, you can't say that! You must live! You have to! Everyone in Imil needs you! I-I don't know what I'll do if you..." Tears threatened to spill out in a torrent of stream; her blue eyes brimming with clear droplets as one escaped and rolled down her cheek eagerly.

Saya's hand reached out and wiped away the tear. "Mia... I've seen you grow so much this past few years... I know that you are ready... to live on your own... be on your own... I trust you... to finish off what I couldn't..."

"No Mother! Stop it... please... don't... talk like that..." More tears fell. She couldn't hold back any longer. She buried her head in her hands, her whole body shaking with sobs.

With all the strength she had left, Saya raised her daughter's head to look directly into her aqua eyes. _So like Miguel's… _"Listen to me, my daughter... someday, you will... understand and find the life... that you desire... the one that suits you best... that makes you happy..." She forced herself to talk, her breaths getting hoarse and short. "I'm very proud... of you, Mia. You have long surpassed me... in my healing skills... and grown to be... so kind, gentle, caring and determined... just like your father... I have no fears... in letting you... be on your own... and explore the wide world."

"Mother..." Mia wept. The whole ordeal seems like an eternity of sadness. It pained her so much, more than any pain she ever experienced. The inward feeling of sadness and pure sorrow was truly the worst ache one could ever go through.

Saya smiled wistfully. "Don't cry, child...be strong... It is almost time. I just wish... that your father... is here now..."

By the relenting hand of Mercury, her last wish was granted. As though by magic, Mia heard the sounds of heavy feet pattering, hurrying towards the room they were in. The door was burst open hurriedly, and there stood Miguel, looking harassed and plainly worried. His appearance was in a mess; his hair tousled, his clothes crumpled, his breathing fast and ragged. It was as plain as daylight that he had taken the fastest and quickest route home, no matter what the consequences were.

"Father, you're back!" exclaimed Mia while wiping her tear-stricken face but to no avail. She had sent a quick letter to him a week ago, telling him that Saya's condition was getting worse. It was indeed amazing; he had already returned back to Imil in a mere week. Considering the far distance from Imil to the place where he worked (which was a town named Prox), normally it would have taken two weeks at least.

Miguel rushed over to his wife, clamping her hand tightly in his grasp. His eyes immediately paled at the sight of her pale aged face, her mahogany-coloured hair no longer looking as silky and healthy as it was before, her thin and frail body lying on the bed. "Oh my god... Saya..." Words of speech left him as despair overwhelmed him.

Saya smiled happily, looking ten years younger as her pale face lighted up. "Miguel... I'm so glad..." began she, but stopped midway in a flurry of heartbreaking coughs. "I'm able to see you again... once more..."

"No... no... this can't be... don't..." The blue-haired man shook his head helplessly, a tear already falling down, as he fully understood the grave situation.

"Listen, Miguel..." Her voice though croaky and weak still portrayed calmness and determination. "Take good care... of Mia... she is... our one and only child. She is the best... gift we could ever have."

"Mother..." Mia whispered in the midst of the silent and sad atmosphere.

"Saya... I..."

"Promise me," she interrupted firmly, her eyes focused on her husband.

He nodded his head sadly but solemnly. "I promise you as much, Saya."

Now satisfied, she allowed a sigh of contented relief escape her lips. "I have no regrets in leaving now... my final wish has been granted... and that is... to see you once more, my dear Miguel." She smiled serenely. "Do not cry... men shouldn't cry."

Swallowing his tears, Miguel looked at his wife. "Take good care... of yourself too, Saya..."

Her light cheerful chuckle rang through the whole room. "Don't worry about me..." Her eyes held a wistful feeling as she gazed at her husband lovingly. "Do not... dwell too much on this, Miguel... until you destroy yourself... I just want you to know... that I will always... love you and Mia... forever... even in my afterlife." She paused as her breathing slowly ceased. "I'll always... be with... you both... may Mercury... bless you."

And with that, her beautiful hazel eyes closed... for eternity. Her tense body relaxed as she breathed her last and final breath. The impression that she was now finally released from her prison of suffering and pain...

Mia choked over her tears. "Mother..."

She still could not bring herself to accept the fact that her mother had finally passed away. It hardly seemed real. She did not want to believe it for a second... her mother was so very important and dear to her, it was so hard for her to let go.

Miguel himself felt like crying, but he forced back the tears for Mia's sake. Crying would only make the situation worse. Stepping forward towards his nineteen-year-old daughter, he hugged her to give her some consolation. "Mia... it's okay... don't cry..." He searched fervently through his mind for suitable words of comfort, but none came to him. He himself was very much saddened, perhaps even more sorrowful than his daughter.

The child in return just continued crying helplessly, clinging to him tightly. Moments later, father and daughter were weeping silently as the true moments of sadness and sorrow hung above them like a dark cloud... never to be lifted up again...

And there they remained, the death of their beloved Saya changing their pleasant lives and happy days...

---o---

It had been a month after the death of Saya; all of the villagers had sympathized deeply with Miguel and Mia. They had all mourned and cried for her, giving a funeral that was said the most celebrated one that was ever held in the whole history of Imil. She was cherished and loved by so many people that it was hard to get over her peaceful death.

Miguel, of course, was one of those who were having extreme difficulties in accepting that fact. Day by day, he changed for the worse. His eyes were tired and bloodshot, lines of worry and tiredness creased his forehead, his demeanour usually quiet and sometimes even snappy. Often he would stay in the room where his beloved wife died, looking sadly at her deathbed, sighing and crying miserably. He felt so moody and discouraged, as if life did not serve any purpose to him any longer. He was one of those that could not forget sorrowful things so easily and move on with his life immediately the day after.

Saya knew that was his weak point.

Mia had faced the same problem, though she learned to cope and bear with it slowly day by day. She sternly reminded herself that she could not mope for the rest of her life; she had to get over it and move on, for the fellow villagers needed her services as a healer of Imil. She had taken over her late mother's duties, and considered it as her responsibility in finishing whatever her mother had left. In a way, it had partly helped her to forget the sad turn of events, as she was always too busy tending to the sick and wounded to entertain her own train of thoughts.

And so the optimistic aqua-haired girl slowly got over the haunting event, though her heart still contained much sorrow. She kept her feelings of sadness well-hidden, but her heart ached painfully every night as she lay on her bed. Every night was a torture she could not escape. The whole event kept rewinding in her mind, fresh, clear... and so real.

It was like a ghastly video replaying over and over again in front of her, and which she could not shut down.

Her very mind and soul was deeply hurt and pained, as though a deep wound had scarred it for life, leaving no space to heal.

_I wonder how's Father now... it's been quite some time after that... incident... and he hasn't done anything so far... he really must be so sad, more than I am... I guess that's nothing unnatural though. The villagers did say that Father and Mother were the loveliest couple ever in Imil, what the legends of Imil call 'soulmates'... oh Mother... why did you have to leave us so soon?_

Little did she know what would her life turn out to be...

---o---

One day, a few months later, Miguel slowly stepped into the small orphanage. By now, the orphanage had been extended into a small hospital, where Mia and other healers could tend to the orphans and also the sick people requiring medical help. The Imilian had changed very much; he was now adopting a cold and blank face that portrayed hardships and sadness throughout his life. He walked stiffly as if it was something unpleasant in his life.

"Father?"

He turned around at the sound of that voice. "Ah, Mia. You're just the very person I wanted to see," he said brusquely.

"Is there anything that you want or need, Father?" Mia asked, feeling rather puzzled. Never had her father come to the orphanage during daylight. He usually spent his time at home mourning. She looked steadily but sadly at her father. He looked ten years older even though just half a year had passed, she thought.

"Go back home and pack your belongings into your bags now," he ordered.

Mia dropped the small package she was holding in her hand. Her eyes widened considerably. "W... what? I beg your pardon, Father...?" _Am I hearing things?_

Miguel's eyes narrowed. "You heard me, child. Pack your belongings at home now," he repeated. "Don't take too many bags with you."

"But... but why, Father? Where are we going?" Mia panicked. _What in the name of Mercury is Father thinking? He knows that I can't just leave here_..._I can't just chuck up all of my responsibilities here! I need to complete what Mother couldn't_...

"To Prox. I need to resume my job over there. Can't have it hanging for long, can I?"

_What? Father's really continuing his job now?_..._Is he just_..._ no, maybe I'm just being pessimistic, but_..._ sometimes I can't just help but wonder, is he really facing the fact that Mother passed away? _..._Or is he just trying to escape from the cruel incident_... She momentarily stopped and chided herself immediately the second after. _No! How could I ever think so badly of Father? _

"But Father, I need to take care of the orphanage here! The villagers need me now, especially when the cold winters come... just like how Mother was needed..." she protested, the last part uttered out in a whisper.

Miguel's bloodshot eyes became wide alert at the mention of Saya. His eyes bearing anger and sadness into Mia's, he said, "I don't really care. Just do as I say. If we stay here, how can we cope with our expenditures? I can't just leave and let you be alone here. I promised to take care of you..." His eyes suddenly turned misty.

He just wanted to go away. Away from this place, the place where he shared so many happy memories with his late wife. Happy memories... now only ghastly reminders of her death... He just wanted to forget.

_Father_..._ I understand what you mean_... _but oh dear, how can I leave the village all of a sudden? They need me, especially now that we're short of helping hands_...A thought struck her. "Have you told the village elders yet, Father?" asked she. _What would they say if they heard about this? _

"Yes, I have. They understood and said yes, they will find a replacement for you," was his only reply.

She cocked her eyebrow in surprise. "Oh?" She kept silent. She had to respect her father's wishes too.

"Don't waste too much time. We'll be leaving tonight," he added.

..._What? So soon? _Frowning slightly, she opened her mouth to object, since it was altogether too much of a rush to finish off her day's work, but she reluctantly closed it again. Mia hung her head sadly. The villagers here were like family...she was going to miss them a lot, but she couldn't very well leave her father alone too. Not when he needed looking after.

"... Very well, Father. I'll go and pack my belongings now," said she, looking downcast.

Miguel nodded curtly before leaving silently.

Mia could hardly believe it. She was going to leave home! Home; the place where she was born, had spent her happy childhood days, had been educated, had shared many meaningful memories...she was about to leave all of those, venturing into a foreign land. Feeling tears springing up to her eyes, Mia sank into a nearby chair and silently sobbed.

"Miss Mia? Are you crying?"

Lifting up her face, she found three young kids staring curiously at her with keen eager eyes. She hurriedly smiled, wiping her tears with her hand. "No, it's nothing. The wind just blew dust into my eyes, that's all," she quickly faked up a plausible explanation.

"Oh...I see," a spiky-haired boy said. "Well, guess we'll continue our game, so...um, see you later then, Miss Mia!"

Mia smiled brightly back. "Don't play too rough, okay? And if the wind gets too chilly, then quickly come back inside," she reminded.

"Okay!" The group then ran off, shouting happily as they trudged through the snow outside.

As Mia rose and looked at the group at the young children wistfully, she felt a heavy pang in her heart. Her village, her hometown...the place where she rightly belonged...it all vanished. _How happy they look_..._how I wish I could be free like them_..._how I wish I could change time_..._If only_..._I could_...

She sighed unhappily.

---o---

Night had already fallen, the dark sky clouded and foreshadowing. Two figures could be seen standing in the midst of many people at the outskirts of Imil. The two figures, Miguel and Mia, were having their last words and farewells with the villagers as each of them wished them good luck in their journey. Though of course, it was clearly obvious that Miguel was not very enthusiastic in the farewells, but more eager to be on the move.

On the other hand, Mia was the opposite; she was not enthusiastic at all in leaving her birthplace, but it was something that could not be helped. Apparently most of the villagers had already been informed of their sad departure earlier during the day. Among those who were informed were her two blood-related cousins from Miguel's side, Piers and Alex.

The three of them were very close with each other. They had spent their childhood days together, playing in the snow happily, exploring the town when they were small, playing hide and seek, doing things together...always being a happy threesome. They were as close as brothers and sister. It was difficult for them to see their only female cousin leave the village.

"Cousin Mia...may Mercury bestow upon you her blessings always, no matter which path you choose." Picard hugged her tightly. Being the older brother between him and Alex, he was naturally more of the responsible, calm and collected type. His imagination was perhaps not so vivid as Alex's, but his great field of knowledge surpassed almost everyone in the village. "Be safe."

"Piers...stay well and alive. Look after the orphanage." Mia willingly returned the embrace; her tears threatened to cascade down her cheeks. It was like leaving a part of her body, mind and soul too. The three of them had shared many things in common; it was one of those primary factors that brought them together. One clear thing that they all shared in physical appearances was that they all had long aqua hair and deep aqua eyes, thus earning them the title 'Three Blues'.

"Don't worry, I will. Alex and I will make sure that everything will be quite all right," he assured her. The three of them had learned all the arts from Saya herself, who considered that they were capable and dependable enough.

Alex later on followed Piers' hug. Being the younger brother of the same age as Mia, he naturally shared a tighter bond with Mia than Picard. His wild imagination sometimes brought on a more playful and carefree manner than his brother, but he was a resourceful, smart and dependable person to lean on. "Mia, stay well too. I wish you two the all the best of luck in your journeys," he said solemnly. "Don't forget to pay us a visit sometime."

She nodded. "Oh Alex...I'd definitely visit Imil if I could...take care of yourself too...I'll miss you all... "

"Enough, we're wasting too much of our time. The boatman will be leaving us soon if we don't hurry," Miguel cut in, speaking curtly.

Mia let go from the hug and sadly nodded to her father. Having the last and final look at her beloved hometown, she said, "May Mercury bless all of you now and always with good fortune, my fellow friends. Let Imil prosper as it always has. I promise I shall return one day. So may we meet again... in the time to come."

The nineteen-year-old girl sighed for a moment, then slowly turned and silently walked away with her father, two silhouettes vanishing into the lonely night.

All the villagers could do was to stare after them, wistful expressions on their faces.

---o---

"All ready?"

"Yes, take off now." Miguel's harsh voice rang clearly in the silent surroundings as he talked to the boatman.

"Aye sir." The boatman, a middle-aged man, then took off, taking the two Imilians along. The boat was not very big; it was just big enough to fit the three of them and their belongings without getting too cramped. It had a roomy deck and a few comfortable cabins below the deck.

Satisfied that they had begun their journey back to Prox, Miguel stifled a yawn. "I'm going to get some sleep. You should get some sleep too. We'll arrive in Prox roughly around a week if the weather's fine." He then entered his cabin, leaving her alone with the boatman at the deck.

Mia followed suit into her own cabin, dumping her bags carelessly on the floor. She climbed into bed tiredly, curling herself up. Her face was devoid of emotion as she stared at the ceiling. But her eyes betrayed the blank expression on her face.

She cried.

It was all too much for her, partly because she had not gotten over her mother's death fully. Her sudden departure from her hometown to a new foreign town, while she left everyone she cared for far behind was absolutely the last straw.

The soon-to-be twenty-year-old young woman felt afraid, the feeling seeping into her heart at the thought of being on her own in an entirely new place raced through her mind. _For all I know, I may be ditched by the townspeople_..._after all, Father never said much about on his work there at Prox, so how would I know? Even though I will be with Father and he will look out for me_..._yet, something still hurts_..._the pain of being alone, as if Father won't care much about me anymore_...

Taking a second thought on it, she mentally slapped herself. _No! What am I thinking? How can I think of Father in such a disgusting way after so many years? He's my father! He promised to look after me_..._so I shouldn't doubt his promise! There's no way he would break a promise_..._a promise that he made to Mother_...

..._Yet, why can't I shake off this feeling? The tears_..._they just can't seem to stop flowing out_...

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Author's Note: Reedited this chapter, as I saw that there was lots of room for improvement. I thought it'd be nicer also if I added more about Piers' and Alex's character, since they're not gonna be just ditched like that and not to appear in the future chapters. 

Thank you to sweetmaiden for proofreading this chapter! Comments, suggestions, constructive criticism and feedback are deeply appreciated.


	2. New Beginnings, A New Life

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

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Chapter 2: New Beginnings; A New Life

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Five full months had passed since young Mia left Imil with her father to the lively town of Prox far in the north of Angara. Prox was said that to be the place where the legendary Fire Clan resided. The inhabitants were clearly different than those Mia ever saw. Most of them were easy to be distinguished; they either had reddish skin or pale bluish skin. They wore flowing robes followed with long cloaks, which had the same shade as their skin for good matching. All in all, Mia felt very awkward in this town.

If her father did not give a care about it, she did.

She lived with her father in a small miniature house. Everyday, she would rise up from her bed and find her father's bed empty, for he had gone to work. What his occupation was, Mia herself did not even know. He seemed so distant from her as day-by-day passed and as it was, she did not feel like asking him if he did not wish to tell her willingly on his own accord.

Truth be told, she very rarely set her eyes on her father, for Miguel always left the house early in the morning and only returned in the wee hours of the morning, or so Mia assumed. She had once waited for her father to come back until two in the morning and he still had not returned. Whether the bachelor was truly occupied with his mysterious job (though the young lady had no doubts whatsoever about his honesty), or that he just he just wanted to avoid direct eye-to-eye contact with his daughter, Mia had not a single clue.

All she could hope was that the latter assumption was crazily wrong.

Her life was, indeed, very boring. During the day, she would take the trouble to find a speck of dust in the house just to keep her busy. Once, she had even found joy in clearing the snow off the house porch during the coldest winters. She prided herself in carrying logs for the fireplace in the living room when firewood was running out. When she had nothing to do, she would just sit on a rickety chair and stare at the wall blankly.

Sometimes, she felt that even the walls in her home were more communicative and friendly than the villagers. At least they couldn't stare and sneer at her.

Once, she had walked around the town when boredom positively took her out of control, and it turned out to be an unpleasant trip for her. As she quietly walked along the streets, all the busy chatter would die down. She could feel many Proxians' eyes on her, whispering in low tones. She would bow her head low, her eyes firmly cast onto the ground, putting pace into her steps. Ever since then, she never went out of the house except when she needed to go to get fresh supplies and food.

Mia felt so lonely; she never had anyone to talk to. The past five months living in Prox was neither beneficial nor exciting at all, it was so just the plain opposite. Often she wondered whether her father had been given the same treatment as her, but she did not think it was as bad as hers, for once she had seen her father chatting with a Proxian reasonably and normally. Even on those rare times where she met Miguel, she dared not approach the subject, though for some reason she was not certain of herself.

Perhaps she was embarrassed to admit the truth that she was disliked. Then again, human nature was such that they tend to expect the same treatment after having loyal, welcoming friends over the years.

Why, in Mercury, could they not accept her presence as well? Without a shadow of the doubt she was different from them, that she was, frankly put, an outsider; but could they not sort out their differences and accept each other? Had she done anything terribly wrong? She could not fathom something she did not understand.

And so life for the twenty-year-old young woman continued on, until one day...

---o---

"Merlina and I are getting married in two months time."

"W... what? I...I beg your pardon Father?" Mia couldn't believe her ears.

"Your father and I are getting married." Merlina spoke, in a soft purring-like voice.

"B... but..." The aqua-haired girl was beyond any words.

_-10 minutes ago- _

_"Mia?" a male voice hailed._

_The girl in question bolted up from her chair. She was very pleasantly surprised; she would recognise that voice a mile away. Her father! Rushing to the door, a mental note registered in her mind that a stranger was beside her father, but she dismissed it as quickly as it came. She threw her arms around him happily. "Father, you're home!" she exclaimed._

_A rich chuckle made her once more conscious of her own actions. Excusing herself, she half-embarrassedly let go of the hug. This time, her attention was drawn to the unknown stranger. Mia was rather startled to find that it was a Proxian woman, roughly reaching her early thirties. She was most probably one of the few Proxians that looked beautiful with extraordinarily red-tanned skin._

_Everything about her seemed to shine an impression of fiery red. She possessed deep ruby eyes, long maroon-coloured hair slightly curled at the end, and fair reddish skin. Wearing a white dress that had tiny patterns around it with a short red cloak and black boots, she reminded Mia of a female fighter._

_Miguel cleared his throat. He seemed to have aged quite a lot ever since that incident, Mia thought sadly. He had lost his cheerful smile_..._ "Mia, there's something that I'd like to tell you. It's very important."_

_Today is full of surprises, Mia concluded with a wry smile. "What is it, Father?" _

_To her astonishment, a smile was plastered on his face. Not a wide happy smile, but a smile nonetheless. 'It's been so long since I saw him smiling_..._ he was always moody and looking forlorn, but then again, it's not like I get to see him everyday_..._ it really must be something that makes him happy,' she thought inwardly._

_"But let us get into the house first," Miguel decided. As the three of them walked into the house, a feeling of suspicion of the Proxian woman crept into Mia's heart. Her sixth sense told her that whatever Miguel was going to say had something to do with the unknown stranger too. Her first impressions were often wrong, but her women's intuition told her that the stranger could be uncanny and also sweet if she liked at the same time._

_When Mia finally sat down on the rickety chair (her favourite chair) after serving drinks to her father and his companion, Miguel cleared his throat and spoke. "Well, first of all, I would like to make some introductions. Mia, meet Merlina Larfax, my good friend here, and Merlina, this is my only child and daughter, Mia."_

_Merlina Larfax rose from her chair and offered a slim hand, a polite smile on her pleasant face. "Pleased to meet you, young Mia. I've heard quite a lot about you from your father." Her voice rang deep and clear._

_And probably a lot from the villagers too, Mia said inwardly. Not that she was being skeptical, but spreading rumours in Prox were amazingly easy and fast. The unwelcoming details about her were probably known almost to all. Nevertheless, Mia was inclined to be nice to Merlina, partly because Mia herself was never cold towards anyone; besides, Merlina was very much her senior, and she was always prepared to welcome any of her father's friends. "Please to meet you too, Miss Larfax," said she, as they shook hands._

_Merlina stifled a laugh. "Oh no, Merlina is just fine, if you will. I'm not a Miss anyway. I'm a war widow. My late husband passed away a few years ago. He was one of those that perished in the Angaran War."_

_"Oh, I'm so sorry_...

_"It's perfectly all right, Mia," said Merlina as she gave her an understanding smile._

_Mia was about to ponder more about this new acquaintance's character, but she focused herself on more important matters at hand. "Father? You said you wanted to tell me something important?" she inquired._

_"Yes, that's right."_

_"Well, what is it Father?"_

_-End flashback- _

Miguel leaned forward in his chair. "I know this may be a little hard for you to take in, Mia, but you must realise that one must... go on." Miguel's voice, a little confused, rang in her ears as she half-listened blankly.

_I know that, but what about_... _Mother? It's been barely a year, and he's already_..._ But I guess it's really up to Father. Perhaps he can achieve happiness in this way. I'll just_... _have to accept my new family_... _I guess. It's not like I have to right to tell Father what to do anyway_... _I don't even know how he feels_..._he probably understands himself best now. _

He took her hand in his, taking a deep breath. "I understand how you must feel now, my daughter, but I just want you to know that I did this partly for you too... You are still so young; I thought that having a proper family once again is what you want... and need... just like before..." he paused as he half-choked on his words, but steadily regaining his composure.

Now her mind whirled and twirled in complicated circles. _For_..._ me? Father is doing this partly for me? Oh Father_..._ I_..._ do I want a proper family again? _She searched her mind fervently for an answer.

... _I_..._I do partially want to have a real family again, but_..._ this is a matter more concerned with Father than with me. _

Now she understood. The more she delved on it, the more she realised how blind she had been to her father's loneliness all this while. She always worried about him, but she realised that she had never actually thought further than that line. _Oh, how selfish I have been!_ she cried. If her father could regain back that cheerful demeanour of his by being together with Merlina, then she would gladly accept it – just to see her father smile again. Oh, how she missed the kind, loving father he had once been!

"Mia? Are you listening to me?"

Miguel's sharp tones snapped Mia back to reality. "I... I'm so sorry, Father... I was just thinking."

"It's okay, Mia. We understand. After all, we'll be one family soon, right Miguel?" Mia's soon-to-be-stepmother interrupted the conversation. She smiled sweetly, a dimple embedded on her left cheek.

"... Yeah," Miguel answered slowly. He hesitantly smiled back. _Perhaps this is for the best after all_..._ Saya, I pray that I have done what you would have wished me to_...

As much as Mia knew that Miguel had never forgotten her mother, Saya, she still could not help the slight feeling of hurt inside her, but those feelings were only natural. She was a child very loyal to her late mother, so getting a stepmother before a year had passed was something that disturbed her sense of 'loyalty'.

Her thoughts were again disrupted when Merlina exclaimed out to her. "Oh and Mia, you won't be alone anymore. I heard from Miguel that you always stayed at home alone. Now when we're a family, you'll be able to be together with my two daughters. My daughters, Menardi and Karst, will take good care of you, for they are good company. You three will get along well, for they too are roughly the same age as you, just that they are slightly older."

Mia was taken aback when she saw, or so she thought, a glint in Merlina's red eyes. She quickly dismissed it from her mind, saying that it was just her imagination. _Menardi and Karst_..._ hmm, I wonder how they will be_..._ I hope we can get along together well, then I won't need to stare at the wall anymore. Mother_...

"We've already planned everything. The wedding will be held exactly two months from now. That's all I wanted to say," Miguel cut in. His mouth opened as if there was something else that he wished to say, but he apparently changed his mind and firmly shut it.

"Let's get along together, okay Mia?" asked Miguel's future wife-to-be.

"Y... yes, of course."

"Well, I've got to do some other things for work, and then I'll come back home again. Look after the house as usual."

Without another word, Miguel and Merlina rose up and left the house, leaving a speechless and thoughtful Mia in the house.

---o---

A year later...

Miguel was unfortunately never seen again ever since his journey to another foreign land started a few months ago. His journey was in search of the legendary 'Tundaria Tower' that had existed many thousands of years ago, rumoured to be located in the far south tundra region of Angara; a challenging task entrusted to him by his authorities which Miguel bravely undertook. After waiting for many months, Merlina and her two daughters had given up on the search for the Imilian. And as determined and hopeful as she was, even Mia had already lost hope for seeing her father again.

She even partly blamed herself for his unfortunate disappearance or even death (though the latter was a more popular choice with the crowd), as she had not persuaded Miguel enough to drop this task even though she had grave doubts and worries as to her father's safety. Nevertheless, even Mia knew that her persuasion would most probably not bear fruit, as Miguel was just as persistent and determined as she herself was (probably even more so) when it came to the sense of duty.

Still, she blamed herself for not trying hard enough... not even crying her eyes out until no more tears were left could bring her father back. She was forced to live with that regret, and only prayed that her father's death (if it forcefully came to that) was merciful. She could only hope for the best.

Wild rumours concerning Miguel's disappearance spread like a wild fire. Some proclaimed that wandering pirates had attacked Miguel's ship during his journey by sea. A case of where his ship was caught in a storm that killed him, or that he had washed ashore alive on a beach with all his memories gone had also given rise to possibility. Some said that some dangerous wild animal had viciously killed him, whereas some others suggested that he might have died from pneumonia while investigating the Tundaria Tower in the icy region.

Whatever the case was, everyone in Prox did not expect the Imilian to come back again. Mia's new family took that fact rather well. She was curious though; her stepmother did not seem to miss Miguel as much as she did. But perhaps it was not a weird thing; after all, they were just married for less than a year.

Since their wedding ensued, Mia and Miguel had moved into Merlina's house, as it was much bigger and more comfortable than theirs. At first glance, a luxurious life was in store for young Mia.

She did not have much time to dwell on this however, for her life had taken another abrupt change once more. Now, instead of having a leisure and bored time everyday, she was very tied up with her housework. Somehow, Mia herself did not know how and why, Merlina had suddenly adopted a very bitchy and snobbish attitude, treating Mia like how one would throw rubbish, whereas her own daughters were given superb treatment with the impression that they were the purest delicate gold.

To Mia, it was not a calumny to say that Merlina was the haughtiest and proudest woman Mia had ever met, and that her two daughters took after her in every single way.

Sometimes, Mia even wondered how on Mercury did the Proxian woman ever manage to put herself in her father's heart.

Merlina would always give Mia many jobs to do during the day to keep her busy until night. In fact, the aqua-haired girl was the one who did all the housework and kept the house clean; the rooms were all brushed up, not a single speck of dust were on the windows, even the attic (normally full with all kinds of trinkets and junk) was spick and span.

"Wash the windows! Clean the furnace! Bring in candles from the shops!" It was all orders, orders, and orders. She could not remember for the life of her a single compliment that she had received ever since Miguel's disappearance.

As days and months passed, some came to the conclusion that bluntly, Mia was just like a free servant girl in the house who was not paid any wages to keep the house clean. Mia herself found it to be disgustingly true enough.

Her stepsisters, Menardi and Karst, were rumoured to be the 'official beauties' of Prox. Menardi, the older of the two, was a slender twenty-five-year-old young woman with lovely long blonde hair (which Mia assumed the colour was from their late father). On the other hand, Karst was just two years younger than Menardi, and she had slightly shorter deep red hair with sharp ruby eyes like her mother. Both of them had reddish-coloured skin, had a good sense of sophisticated clothes, and were very close to each other.

If Merlina was not bad enough, then both stepsisters made up for it. They would always snub and scold her, remark about her dirty face and clothes when she was doing heavy and dirty housework cleaning, and practically spread bad rumours about her behind her back. To make matters worse, Mia was made to sleep on a very hard mattress in the cramped attic, a place nested by strange creatures, while Menardi and Karst had the best rooms in their house that had polished floors and where they slept in soft, comfortable beds.

The poor girl suffered in silence, for she had nobody to share her feelings and heartache with. When all of the housework was done, she would go to the big fireplace in the living room and sit in the ashes, among the cinders. Her two stepsisters thought this was hilarious for some odd reason which Mia could not comprehend as of yet, and they decided to give her the name of CinderMia. That name stuck on and everyone in town could be heard whispering her new name whenever she was seen around town.

As much as Mia disliked her new name, what could she do? If fate was so cruel on her, what could she do to fight against it? She had no say. Relentlessly, she continued her life and persevered, hoping that with Mother Nature's kindness, her burden would be lifted off someday.

But perhaps Mother Nature was already kind to her. As the days passed, although Mia was forced to wear old-fashioned, ragged, cast-off clothes, she was still a ten times, perhaps even a hundred times more beautiful than her stepsisters, who always wore their best and magnificent dresses in the house just to spite her.

Although Mia was treated badly, she still behaved with due respect to her stepfamily. She could not push away the feelings of bitter and mild hatred for her family, but nothing could be done. They had given her a home, food, clothes and all the basic necessities she needed. She could not complain.

Deep inside her, she was determined not to show them any of her sorrow and her weak side. If they wanted to relinquish at the sight of her crying, then she was all the more determined to put up a brave show. Only at night would she pour out all of her feelings to her one and only friend.

Yes, CinderMia had a friend. Not an ordinary human being friend, but a special friend.

A friend who would sympathize with her, hear out her problems, and comfort her when necessary.

A friend who was not human, but was of a creature; a small, cute and uncommon creature that Mia found in the attic a few months after moving into her new home. A creature that Mia loved and treasured as a good friend.

... What it calls herself a 'djinni' with the name Fizz.

---o---

Fizz was very tiny and small compared to normal human beings. She was such a tiny little creature that she was probably only around 15 centimetres tall, but nevertheless, she was cute and chubby-looking. She had round yellow eyes, a light green-coloured abdomen and a cute pink tail at the end. Other parts of her whole body were blue in colour. Fizz was an extremely optimistic and cheerful character, and both Mia and Fizz found good companionship in each other. Often Fizz would console and comfort Mia whenever the girl was sad, a common occurrence in her everyday life. Without a doubt, Fizz was a very dear friend to Mia.

One night, Mia was lying on the hard mattress, chatting with Fizz. Both of them shared the same small bed when they went to sleep; after all, Fizz's small body did not take up much space. Mia smiled fondly at the small creature, patting its head softly. _Fizz is really a wonderful friend. I can't think of any other friend who is better than her_..._ of course, families aside. I really should be grateful; life doesn't seem so bad now that I've got a real friend to share things with._

She smiled as a certain memory stirred up in her, slowly replaying it as it had occurred on that day. _Our meeting was a little odd though, that's true_...

_-Flashback- _

_Another busy day had gone by, and Mia was glad that all of her house chores had been done successfully. Retiring to the attic, she settled for bed. As she lay on the hard mattress, her head resting on an equally hard pillow, soft squeaking and chattering noises reached her ears. She sighed inwardly. "Mice again_..._ it's a wonder all of my clothes aren't in rags and pieces. At least they don't bother me too much when I'm having my beauty sleep," she muttered under her breath._

_All said too soon. Suddenly, the mice's noises stopped. Deep silence reigned over the dark room. _

_Mia was mildly surprised. But as the heavy waves of sleep began to wash over her consciousness, she quickly dismissed it from her mind as it was not of importance, and closed her eyes. _

_Yet_..._ somehow she couldn't sleep. _

_Although her eyelids were tightly shut, the young girl could feel a new, unknown presence in her room, locking its eyes at her. She ignored it as her wild imagination up to its tricks, but the same feeling persisted over and over again. _

_Sleep, sleep, sleep, she chanted. But somehow she did not feel quite as sleepy as she was before. She kept her eyes closed, but her whole body was tense on alert._

_Was it her imagination again, or did she hear low breathing sounds amidst her own? She could not be sure. She felt slightly alarmed, suddenly insecure. Oh, how she missed her mother, where in such cases her mother would envelope her in a comforting, safe hug and whisper such warm words to her! _

_After a few minutes which felt like moments of eternity to Mia, she sighed loudly in frustration and sat upright on her bed. She was going to get to the bottom of the matter, and satisfy herself that there was nothing and nobody else in the attic with her. Her hand reached out instinctively for a jagged-end piece of wood beside her uncomfortable mattress as she let her eyes adjust to the darkness around her. She did not bother to switch on the lights; the lights were all heavily spoiled. Even the small bulb was in poor condition, where it would just flicker on and off the whole time, and eventually pissing Mia off._

_Her clear aqua eyes scanned the room thoroughly_..._ nothing suspicious-looking. Clearly relieved, she severely reprimanded herself of her own wild imagination. She was stopped in the middle of her thoughts when she suddenly focused her attention on a pair of yellow eyes, looking intensely at a far corner of the attic. As brave as she was, she could feel her hair starting to stand up on its end. She jumped frantically and let out a small yelp._

_"Shh!"_

_"W_... _what?" Mia felt scared; her teeth would have most probably chattered if she did not force herself to be calm, her legs pressed together tightly. Her fears increased second by second, and she tightened her hold on the stick. "Am_... _am I_... _dreaming? T_... _that_... _thing_..._ just_... _just talked!" she muttered in half-shock._

Convincing herself that she really was, indeed, dreaming, Mia spoke aloud to calm herself down. "Get a grip on yourself, Mia! It's just a dream! If I pinch my own cheek, I won't feel any pain and I'll know that it's really just a silly dream!"

She then pinched her cheek hard, but yelped again when she felt acute pain. "What... this isn't a dream? It's... real?... Then, what in the name of Mercury is that... thing looking at me?"

_The frightening yellow eyes seemed to soften at Mia's antics. "Shh, don't talk so loud! I can speak. Don't be scared of me. I'm not a ghost or something like that, see!" It emerged from the darkness and Mia's confused eyes saw a small tiny 'thing', something that might have been mistaken for a cute animal toy._

_"W_... _wha?" Mia was speechless. "Is that a_... _doll or_..._ a toy or what?" She just stared at 'it' blankly, no longer feeling that scared anymore since it didn't look like it possessed a threat on her. In fact, she thought it looked quite cute. Her fears lessened, but she still kept a tight hold on her defense weapon. Never judge a book by its cover, Saya had always taught her._

_That 'something' hopped over to her with its two legs. "See, I'm not scary right? I'm cute! You don't need to be afraid, miss!" it beamed, its voice high-pitched but not too offending to the ears._

_Finding her courage, Mia began questioning that 'something'. "Who_... _who are you? I've never seen the likes of you before! Are you some kind of rare animal?"_

_The 'thing' snickered. "Heh, well, my tribe is quite rare since we don't really promote our faces to people outside. But anyway, introductions first; my name is Fizz, and I'm a female Djinni, belonging to the Mercury tribe."_

_Mia shook her head helplessly. Fizz? What kind of female name is that? "Djinni? Mercury?" _

_"Well, I guess you've never heard of us. I don't mind telling you 'bout myself now, but aren't you sleepy?" it inquired cheerfully. _

_Mia smiled; this so-called 'djinni' was rather entertaining. She had learned not to trust strangers, but this one was somehow_..._different. She somehow felt that she could trust this new friend of hers. "It's okay; somehow I don't really feel that sleepy anymore, what with all this happenings. I'm curious to know more anyway. So spill it," she half-commanded. Suddenly remembering her manners, she smiled lightly and said, "I'm Mia."_

_She could see that cheerfulness was one of its usual traits. "Okay, nice to meet you, Mia! Well anyways, you see, we djinn (djinni for singular) are somehow created to help human beings, but only for selected ones," Fizz explained. Her next words came hesitatingly. "When we say 'selected ones', well, we mean_..._ uh_..._ I can't really tell you now, unless you're one of those selected ones, and uh_..."_ she stopped, clearly in a difficulty._

_A wave of amusement swept through the aqua-haired girl. "Don't worry, it's okay. I understand if it's some sort of secret," she urged in a soft tone, careful not to wake the rest of the household downstairs._

_Fizz was instantly relieved. "Hey, thanks_..._ well anyway, I'll skip that part. Our clan is divided into four tribes, which is the Mars, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury tribe. All the djinn in a certain tribe look the same, but at least people can differentiate between the tribes, since a Mercury djinni doesn't look the same as a Venus djinn, say." _

..._Oh." Mia was having a rather difficult time to swallow the whole new bout of information down, as it did sound a little far-fetched, but she knew that there were various things all around the world that she never knew of, and this could be one of them. Besides, she did not think that Fizz would lie to such great extents with such a clean story._

_The yellow-eyed djinni laughed. "Oh, I know I'm probably not making much sense, but I hope you can at least understand a little?" _

_Mia chuckled softly. "Yes, of course. Do carry on, Fizz."_

_"Right-o!"_

_And so, Mia's new friend, the everlastingly cheerful and full of gaiety Fizz, continued and launched into an entertaining talk. Mia was surprised that her stepfamily had not rushed up to the attic with pitchforks by the end of their interesting conversation. Perhaps they were indeed in a deep slumber._

_-End flashback-_

Mia smiled when she recalled that event; she was glad Fizz had entered her life. She was more than certain now that she had not make a mistake in making Fizz her good friend. Ever since then, Mia had felt much happier. The djinni's boost of encouragement helped her a lot during the days where she was forced to slave for her cruel stepfamily.

"Mia? Are you listening to me?"

Snapped back to reality, Mia looked quizzically at Fizz. "Huh? What were you saying? I'm so sorry I spaced out for a moment..." she smiled apologetically.

"Huff... anyways, never mind what I said just now. What were you thinking of, Mia?" she asked back.

"Nothing really, Fizz."

But Fizz knew better. "You say so, but I think I say different. Is it about your crude stepfamily?"

She cocked her head to one side. "Well, no, it isn't... but now that you say it..."

"Yes?" Fizz urged.

"Sometimes I can't help but... question my fate. There's always this thought in me that wonders as days and months continue on; will my life remain like this until the day I die? Has my life... been decided to be so?" As she spoke, she slowly balled her hands into tight fists.

Frankly, she _hated _her life now. What a miserable life she now led! How bleak her future looked now...

Fizz looked sympathetically at her companion. Cuddling up to her, Fizz tried to comfort her. "Don't worry Mia. Your life won't be wasted just like that. You're not that kind of type; you've still got so much ahead of you. Trust me, it will turn out for the better soon one day... maybe fate is just testing your endurance; to see how far you can endure this kind of suffering. Just wait patiently and be content for now. I promise that things will turn out even more than you expected in the future. You deserve that." The djinni spoke confidently.

Mia smiled; Fizz was really good at this. "Thanks, Fizz," said she, "you've no idea how many times you've comforted me. It really must be boring for you to say the same words over and over again, as if it's like a schedule."

"Hey, we're friends right? Friends don't mind saying the same thing over and over again! I'll always help you out anytime!" she beamed happily.

"Thank you... you're such a dear." Mia was really touched. Reaching out for the thin blanket and spreading it over her and her small companion, she kept Fizz in a tight hug. "Goodnight Fizz."

"Mm... goodnight Mia."

* * *

Author's Note: And Chapter 2 is now also reedited! Added more information about Menardi and Karst's physical appearances, Mia's meeting with Fizz, and a bit here and there. Hopefully it's a much better piece of work now. 

Thank you to enigma4ever for proofreading this chapter! Again, any comments, suggestions and advice are greatly welcomed.


	3. The Royal Family

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

* * *

Chapter 3: The Royal Family

* * *

In the same era, situated in the middle of Angara was one of the biggest and most influential towns that additionally housed the worldwide-famous and prosperous kingdom of Vale. The town itself was named Vale, and it was an indefinite rumour that the history of the name dated back a few hundred years ago, where Vale was only a small but beautiful valley surrounded with wild, rare flowers and luscious greenery.

Back then, population was very scarce, and it was not until a royal family had decided to dwell on that specific land that more inhabitants began to settle down at that spot. From a small rural village, Vale had slowly but steadily climbed its way up into the world.

The Kings and Queens of Vale were excellent leaders. From generation to generation, the leaders had ruled Vale wisely to the best of their capability, and they were supported and loved by all. Under their trusted leadership and great charisma, Vale had blossomed and prospered.

And now, Vale was at the highest height of its blooming.

One of the things that amazed any visitor who came along on a hearty visit was the majestic castle of Vale. It was, indeed, so vastly gigantic that many rooms could be fitted into it. Every piece, tile and material was purely real and exquisite mosaic. The floors and walls were all made of expensive marble, the glass windows all well-polished and welcoming, lovely thick deep purple curtains drawn across the windows, and even the front door was enormous, made out of pure brown oak. Each and every staircase leading to the next floor was even magnificently designed; it was shaped in a fragile yet slender arc, made out of solid glass. Priceless antiques lined up in every hall, delicate and beautiful.

The castle's splendour was truly magnificent; no other words could describe how beautiful everything was, how indisputably perfect it all were. It was rather simple on the whole (as how the present Queen wished), but yet, it still managed to impress upon an unexplainable lovely touch to any soul who stepped into the castle. The expenses in total were on the costly side, but with Vale's extreme successes in business trading with other countries, they had more than enough to donate to the poor as well.

On the ground floor, the long doorway would split into three paths; the left path led to another corridor which would bring to a good many rooms, among them a treasury (tightly locked and guarded by hefty, robust soldiers) and a mail room where the daily mail were collected and sorted out by the persons concerned. A path would lead to a big, magnificent ballroom that was fully furnished with royal-blood carpets and marvelous decorations.

The right-hand path was identical in structure to the left-hand path, but led to a huge dining room (enough to fit perhaps more than a hundred in a big fiesta occasion) specially for the royal family, nobles and honoured guests. A little ways off the dining room was an enormous kitchen where various professional trained chefs and loyal servants bustled about everyday in preparing succulent and mouth-watering dishes. After that was another dining room for the servants themselves, and a laundry room.

Meanwhile, taking the straight path would bring to another three more paths; upon walking straight, that person would arrive at the throne room, where the King and Queen seated everyday and ruled Vale with the help of their personal trusted advisor. The next room after the throne room would be the meeting chambers, where the royal family would bring forward discussions with the other nobles.

The other two paths would lead to the first floor rooms through glittering posh staircases at the left and right corners of the room. The first floor was just as great as the ground floor, perhaps even better. It contained various rooms, many among them bedrooms. The King and Queen's private chambers was undeniably the best and most special of all. All of those living in the castle (which included nobles, dukes, guests, knights, servants, chambermaids, and a good deal more) were provided with excellent luxurious rooms as well. Clothes rooms were generously added in the list.

Continuing along the pathway would come to another two staircases that led to the second floor of the castle. Amidst those many rooms, there was an orchestra and music room, followed by a comfortable nursery room for the young children. There was a meditation room, and further on was the biggest library rated in the whole world with more than a million knowledgeable books. No one could be bored in the palace with so many books to delve in.

The castle structure was complete with the extensions of two high and magnificent towers that overlooked the town of Vale. The two towers were well-built; solid, secure and very much durable. Anyone who were to look down from the tower would have been stunned, for the view and panorama that he would observe was, simply put, seraphic. One could witness the strikingly beautiful view of Vale and the fabulous greenery of Mother Nature, as one could see for miles and miles from the mighty towers. It was, indeed, a breathtaking sight.

Underground was a dungeon basement where prisoners received their rightful judgment dealt by justice. Many prisoners had been ushered into the dark, foreboding dungeon through the large, spiked steel gate and been punished accordingly, especially during the worldwide Angaran War. Strong and sturdy armoured soldiers prowled and patrolled around every so often, reliable weapons at their side. But now, the dungeons were abandoned and no longer in use, as peace was more or less steadily kept in the country, and democracy was their trade.

But that was only inside the whole castle building. Outside, on the castle grounds were the stables, where dozens of horses were kept, brushed and cleaned with the utmost care. Not only that, but a huge portion of the land was the castle courtyard, mainly housing a large building as the training grounds for the knights and brave warriors. The basic training gadgets and facilities were provided for the beginners, and it contained a storage room filled with all kinds of destructive weapons, defensive shields and protective armour of the highest quality affordable. For convenience, many comfortable bedrooms with the basic necessities were built inside the same building for the knights and expert trainers.

And above all, the castle was bordered by extremely enchanting, mesmerising gardens. Green bushes grew everywhere. Roses, sunflowers, violets, carnations, lilies, tulips, daisies, irises, they were all there. The gardens were so well taken care of by the dedicated, experienced gardeners and servants that it highly served in heightening the castle's shining splendour even more than ever.

Indeed, living in the castle was such a great privilege at that time.

---o---

"Dora?"

"Yes, dear?"

"It's not because I am eager to have one, you know…"

"Hmm? Oh Kyle, sometimes you do rather tend to jump to the ending straightaway when it comes to telling something. Please start from the beginning, dear. You do look somewhat fidgety." Queen Dora gave a light chuckle.

Kyle and Dora were both the noble King and Queen of the big kingdom of Vale. Years ago, Vale had successfully merged with one of the strong-influential towns named Tolbi, as a symbol of eternal friendship and loyalty between both sides. This action was in honour of Vale's prince, Prince Kyle, who had married Dora Lesitia, a normal but decidedly kind and beautiful woman who hailed from Tolbi. Maintaining its original name, Vale had greatly prospered in popularity and country achievements, as well as economics.

At that very moment, the King and Queen were having a short rest from their daily duties as king and queen. Feeling their limbs stiff to some extent due to the muscles inactive for several hours, they decided to saunter up to the highest tower in their castle for good exercise. This was a normal habit, as they could also witness the intoxicating views of their beloved kingdom and land.

"I'm sorry, my dear," King Kyle apologized with an affectionate smile. "Actually, I was just thinking of our son."

Queen Dora tilted her head to one side quizzically. "Isaac?"

"Yes. He is approaching twenty-four soon… do you not think that it is time?"

"Hmm? What do you mean—oh yes, I understand now. You mean that it is time he found a good suitor, Kyle?"

Kyle cleared his throat. "Well, yes. After all, he is at the right age, according to our traditions. Is that not right, Dora?"

His wife smiled. "Yes, that is so… but it is not so simple. How are we going to do it? After all, Isaac does not venture out of the castle often, but it is definitely much worse to just gift him with a young woman who we think is suitable for him, even though he may not feel the same way. We can't force love."

Kyle smiled back, putting an arm on her shoulder. "I know. That's why I have secured a good proposal."

"A proposal? What is it, dear?" she inquired, her eyebrows raised.

"Well, remember how we first met and later on got married?"

Dora's face lighted. "Oh yes, I do remember… so you plan to do the same for Isaac?"

"Yes, but of course, we will seek for his agreement first. It would do no good if he appears reluctant in that matter. What do you think?"

The Queen thought for a while, then smiled again at him. "Hmm… it does not sound too bad. Let's give it a try, shall we?"

---o---

"Prince Isaac, permit us to enter?"

"Yes, of course, by all means."

Prince Isaac was, simply put, a handsome young man. He had attractive yellow-golden hair (that always spiked up no matter how much he ambitiously tried to flatten it down in a tidy manner, much to his amusement). His eyes were a deep azure, matching well with his hair colour. His clear-cut, sharp features that basically told anyone indirectly that he was not someone to be fooled easily.

For his age, Isaac was considered tall, sturdy, muscular and fully matured. His muscles were well-toned and developed marvelously, for he had taken various physical trainings, which he insisted to undertake like normal soldiers and knights. He was more than capable in terms of responsibility and leadership.

As a noble prince, he wore suitable royal and mighty clothes with a piece of armour on top of his chest as protection. The symbol of Vale was proudly adorned on it, together with an imperious long golden cloak that hung down proudly. Being an extremely popular attraction among the opposite sex, he was like a dream person to almost every girl who saw him. There was not a single doubt that many of Vale thought highly of the young prince.

The door leading to his personal chambers opened slowly. As Prince Isaac transferred his gaze from the book that he was concentrating upon, he saw three familiar faces. His face lit up in an inviting smile.

"Come on in," said he, gesturing them to be seated on his bed.

Three people stepped into his room and bowed simultaneously. Two were male, the other one female. One of the males had long dark brown hair, tied in a ponytail at the end. His brown eyes were always calm and collected, bearing almost no revealing expression whatsoever. Felix Segrave, Vale's head of the communication management inside and outside the country borders, was a responsible, trustworthy and wholly reliable man now in his late twenties.

The other two people were rather similar in appearances; one could have easily taken them as twins. Both having short blonde hair nicely cropped to the sides and roughly of the same mediocre height, the only difference that separated the two genders was that the male had deep wine-coloured eyes, whereas the female had sharp emerald eyes. They could almost be taken as part of the royal family.

Ivan Ferrier, the prince's personal advisor-to-be, and Sheba Raos, head of the library center management, were on very good terms with Felix and the prince, even though they were both younger in age. They were precious friends, companions, comrades and allies, giving useful advice and valuable second opinions.

The blonde named Sheba stepped forward. "But Prince Isaac, this is your own chambers! It is quite a preposterous thing to do, that!" she exclaimed, slightly horrified at the idea.

Ivan sighed. "I know I will not change Your Highness' mind even if I say this, but as your future personal advisor, it is still my responsibility to remind Your Highness that such an idea is against our customs," he quoted with a half-smile. His voice was boyish as it had yet to fully break.

The handsome prince just shrugged it off with a wave of his hand. "I know that, Ivan. It is one of the polite rules between the prince and the lower ranks. But… I do no really care much for that. Truth be told, I do not think it is of any considerable importance."

"Are you sure, Prince?" asked Felix, his voice ringing out very deep.

"Yes… you all must be thinking that I am not behaving as a proper prince should be," he explained, getting rather flustered. "What I mean is that I do not act very formal in front of you all sometimes, my conversational skills are sometimes not perfect, and I stoop down acting like what other normal people do—" (he never did say 'commoners', for he thought it was an extremely offending term)

"And?" Ivan prompted.

"… But somehow, I do not really think that it is wrong," he finished simply. "I merely think that we should not restrict ourselves just because we are of the higher class and that certain actions which are perfectly normal would prove wrongly unnatural."

"In that case, perhaps Your Highness is just acting more normal than the other princes," Sheba concluded.

"… I beg your pardon, Sheba? Am I not the one that is unusual?" he queried.

Sheba Raos smiled pleasantly in return and curtsied. "No, my lord. You are an open-minded prince that has no prejudice views with the actions of the normal people, and that is why you do not feel that it is an abnormal thing to do what they do. Is that not right, Ivan?" She turned to her friend for support.

Ivan nodded slowly in agreement. "Yes, it is true, Prince. We would never lie in such matters," said he. "I have never heard of a kinder and nobler prince than Your Highness," he added.

"Well, well…" Prince Isaac had his eyebrow cocked, amused to a certain extent. "And what, may I ask, puts me on a different level of kindness from the other princes?"

Felix spoke up. "My dear prince, pray think, have any other princes helped and brought back two helpless orphans in deserted streets to the castle?"

Before the prince could think of a suitable reply, Sheba said:

"Yes, Prince. Do you not remember, my lord, how touched your dear mother, the honourable Queen, was when she heard that you had decided to take care of Ivan and I, two unimportant adolescents that were worth almost nothing, in the castle? She was so proud of you, my dear prince, that she could not help but shed a few tears of joy and happiness!"

"And ever since that fateful day until now, Your Highness, Sheba and I are forever in debt with you, all for your supreme kindness. Who knows what hazards would have befallen us if we were left starving on the lonely, abandoned and dangerous streets?" Ivan added. "You were a life miracle, a godsend to us."

Isaac's eyes softened as the end of his lips curled into a smile. "Yes… and I am extremely glad that I had done so. I have no regrets whatsoever. With all of your faithful companionship, the three of you, life had a greater meaning to me since then."

"Therefore, Prince, you must not feel confused and sad. In my opinion, formalities are not everything to a prince. Your kindness, courage and determined spirit make up for it, and even more at that. Please believe me when I say this, my lord." Felix once again bowed deeply.

The prince of Vale was deeply touched. "Thank you everyone… you all have always cheered me up to no end. No friend can be better than you three. For that, I am eternally grateful."

The trio smiled. "As we have always assured Your Highness, we, too, are happy to serve such a honourable and noble prince like you. We are glad to be of service always, now and forever."

"Well then, may our friendship bond never be severed!"

"Yes, sir!"

Isaac laughed, his pleasant voice filling the air. Moments later, he sobered up as a thought struck him. "Oh yes, what was it that you three wished to speak to me about? I do not think that you three would knock on my door for no particular reason?"

"Ah yes. I beg your pardon, Prince Isaac," Felix quickly apologised. "His Majesty King Kyle and Her Highness Queen Dora requested to see Your Highness as soon as possible."

Intrigued, the prince knit his eyebrows together. "As soon as possible? Is there any urgency?" he asked sharply.

"They said that it was an urgent matter, concerning you, my lord," replied Sheba.

"Hmm… concerning myself… No matter, I will find out what exactly soon enough. Thank you, Felix, Ivan and Sheba. I will go now." He then rose from his bed, leaving the book behind him and walked to the door. "I assume Father and Mother are in the throne room?"

"Yes, Prince."

"Thank you, Ivan. You three may remain in my room if you wish, just… try not to start some kind of pillow fight or anything, all right?" Isaac's humorous side surfaced, winking at them before he departed for the throne room.

Once he was gone, Ivan shook his head half-regretfully. "My dear prince… how could we ever dream of having a pillow fight in such surroundings like your personal chambers?"

Felix chuckled lightly. "Anyway, I've got to get going myself. There are a few minor problems with the communication center, so I have to straighten it out. I will probably be back just in time for dinner."

"In that case, we would not mind helping you sort those matters out," Sheba offered. On a compulsive note, she added, "Well, at least, I do not mind. How about you, Ivan?"

"I will help out too, if there aren't too many hands already," the blond boy joked with a boyish grin.

Felix nodded a silent word of thanks in assent. "Right, let's go."

As they started walking away from the prince's chambers, something caught Ivan's eye. Curiosity drew him close to it.

The book that Isaac was reading.

Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he walked over to the bed and picked it up. "What is this book?"

"Hmm?" Retracing her steps, Sheba poked her head out over his shoulder and looked at the book cover. "'… Lost'?"

Ivan shrugged his shoulders carelessly. "Sounds like a romantic story to me. What do you think, Sheba?"

"Yes, it does sound rather like it. But why on earth would Prince Isaac want to read something like this?"

Young Segrave must have been listening to the conversation, for he thoughtfully answered, "… Perhaps Prince Isaac is in love."

Ivan lay down the book back on the bed and crossed his arms thoughtfully. "It might be true… but it never crossed my thoughts that our prince is the romantic type who hunts down romance books…" he muttered.

"… I don't think that's the case, Ivan. Perhaps our prince wants to know how does love feels like," Sheba suggested.

"Hmm… perhaps. That does sound likely. After all, he is at the age where such things are normal… though I deeply wonder how such books could have ended up in the big library." He then turned to Sheba, as the head of the library center management, for affirmation. "I thought all of the books in the library were factual, non-fiction ones?"

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, saying so slowly:

"Hmm… that is true… by the classification of books that we have, there is nothing that this book is categorised under." She nodded her head and shrugged. "It is puzzling. The existence of a fiction book amongst the whole lot of non-fiction is merely impossible, especially since we never produce, catalogue or order any fiction ones."

"Perhaps this book was accidentally packed with the rest in one of the catalogues we ordered," said the other man in the room, offering a suggestion.

"Maybe."

"We should ask the prince himself later," said Felix. "Let's go now."

"All right," the other two agreed.

And with that, the trio left silently, closing the oak door as they left.

A thought struck Ivan as he turned across a passageway. _Come to think of it, we did not see Flint… _

---o---

I wonder what is behind this sudden call… As Prince Isaac briskly walked at a steady pace towards the throne room, his thoughts were locked on the summons for him. His curiosity and intrigue were deeply roused. Ah well, time will tell. 

While a good deal of the population in Angara summarized Prince Isaac as a potential ruler confident in his decisions, his own heart reminded him of the stark truth. The long cloak that fluttered mightily with the sound of wind seemed to radiate his power, position and glory; but to the young prince, it was nothing else but a parody (funnily enough, he thought), a façade.

His honesty forbore him to deny the fact that he would tend to waffle when it came to making decisions, especially tough ones. He never believed fully that he was always right in the choices that he made. The undying concern he often had slanted to his subjects-to-be than his own welfare, despite his role as the one and only prince of Vale (and therefore he was, as his kind mother would have said in good humour, indispensable). He would never allow himself to be overconfident and proud, but he found it troublesome at times.

Oh, what would he give to be strong in his decisions! How he wished that he would not explore every choice so deeply until he found a contradiction, be it even a small one, which would make him unsure! What would he give just to own that feeling of 'Yes, this is right, I'm sure of it'; to be so sure that no other thing could shake his opinion on the matter!

"Isaac?" A soft squeaky voice whispered.

Caught unawares as he was lost in thought, Isaac jumped out of his skin. Immediately recognizing the voice, he calmed down and walked to the corner of the long hallway where he faced a big antique vase placed on a burgundy-coloured ledge, smiling as he spoke. "You can come out, Flint. There is no one else here."

Seconds later, a small unusual creature crept out from behind the enormous vase. It had round crystal blue eyes which could hold an appealing look, like how a faithful dog begs its master to take it on a walk with its pleading eyes. Its small body was coloured a medium shade of brown homogeneously, except for his stomach which was a light tan. It was slightly on the plump side, and as Isaac had appraised it with a shrewd eye on their first meeting, young children would have appreciated Flint as an object that held the attraction of 'cuteness'.

Isaac and Flint were very close friends. Their great difference in body-size did not affect that at all. Similarly like how Isaac found Ivan and Sheba, he too found Flint wandering around in the lonely and abandoned streets of Vale. Flint was a very amusing companion to have, being cheerful and dead obstinate. Many a time Isaac delighted in Flint's company. Together with Felix, Sheba, Ivan and Flint, Isaac was usually happy living in his ancestral home.

No one in the castle knew of Flint's existence except for Isaac's parents and Isaac's three friends. That, even then, was at first difficult to hide from them. He remembered how he had tried to 'smuggle' food back into his chambers to feed his unusual friend with unsuccessful attempts. The fact that his good but firm mother insisted that no food were to be brought into any bedroom chambers (as their family code, though Isaac could not fathom how did it come about in the first place) did not help either.

"It was good luck catching you. I was just looking for you and hey presto, what a coincidence!" Flint exclaimed, beaming.

Isaac grinned. "You do realise that you run the risk of making your identity known to others by running about in the castle, don't you?"

"Yeah, I know, but you can't just expect me to sit and sleep there in your bed every day and night, right? I've got to have exercise and adventure too!"

The prince laughed. "Well put, Flint."

"So you wanna play?" Flint asked.

Patting the djinn on the head fondly, the young prince replied. "No, Flint. I'm honestly sorry, but I cannot. My parents have summoned me to the throne room, which was where I was headed to until just now."

The Venus djinn looked down sadly. "Aww… I guess that can't be helped, then."

"Sorry, old boy."

"Nah, it's okay. Maybe I should have a nice nap now… rather tired after all this walking, hopping and hiding from your guards. This is gonna be some big hide-and-seek game now, every time I go adventuring!"

Prince Isaac grinned again. His little pal was certainly adventurous. "Well, you can have your beauty sleep in my room, Flint. I'll see you there."

"Okay, see ya!" The cute djinn then bounded off happily.

Isaac chuckled to himself, shaking his head in good spirits. Remembering his original destination, he resumed his walk to the throne room, hastening his steps as he did so. His parents would wonder what was delaying him if he was late, and he himself appreciated punctuality.

---o---

The two guards blocking the entrance of the throne room immediately bowed and stepped aside as they saw the prince approaching. "Prince Isaac, please proceed on to the throne room. His Honourable Majesty King Kyle and Her Greatest Highness Queen Dora have been expecting Your Highness."

Isaac nodded curtly. "Thank you."

The mighty doors were opened and the prince stepped through into the room, bowing down to his knees before his parents, the King and the Queen. He noticed something amiss vaguely at the back of his mind, and he only realised later on that his father's personal advisor, Kraden, was surprisingly not there. He half-wondered why.

"Father, Mother."

King Kyle and Queen Dora, sitting on the throne beside each other, smiled. "Pray rise to your feet, Isaac," said his mother.

"Thank you, Father, Mother." He rose accordingly, gazing at both his parents with deep reverence. If he had anyone to worship after, the two people before his eyes were his subjects of worship and veneration.

Queen Dora chuckled. "You need not act so formal in front of us, Isaac. You are our son after all, and I know that you do not prefer formalities much."

"I apologise, Mother."

"It is all right, Isaac. When I was young, I, too, did not think much of formalities." King Kyle hastened to relieve his son with a humorous smile.

"Well then, let's not keep you waiting, Isaac. Your father has something important to tell you."

Much as Isaac thought that it was not probable, he did not resist the attempt to say: "Is it concerning our diplomatic friendship with other countries?" His overly-imaginative mind even led him to the chance that a war was perhaps arising, but he reproached himself inwardly immediately after.

"Heavens, no." King Kyle shook his head good-humouredly. "It is a very different matter altogether." Looking at his wife beside him, he prompted, "Perhaps you would explain to him, dear? I think you are better in this kind of matters."

"Very well, if you think that is so," agreed Dora. Smiling at her son, she started, "Well… it's perhaps an awkward subject for you, my dear, but your father and I were just thinking of your…" she stopped for a moment, but went on rather hesitatingly, "your future."

Isaac tilted his head to one side, puzzled. "My future?" he echoed.

"In other words, marriage," his father explained.

He got a start. "M… marriage?" Isaac could hardly believe his ears. _Why the sudden unusual topic?_

His mother now plunged into the conversation with renewed resolve. "Yes, Isaac. You are now at the right age to start thinking at the prospects of your own marriage. You are now incoming twenty-four, and by our tradition standards…" she left the sentence trailing unfinished.

Before Isaac could open his mouth in a light protest, Dora continued firmly, "Now, listen to me first, Isaac. As your parents, we are not forcing you to do this. We care for your future happiness, your future family. Don't think for one moment that we just want you to get married to ensure a new generation for our throne, because we do not believe in that."

"Of… of course, Mother, but…" he half-stammered.

"Pray tell me, Isaac, honestly, have you ever thought of this?" Kyle inquired.

The prince was at an utter loss. _W… what on Venus can I say? _"I…"

Dora nodded her head consolingly. "It's perfectly all right to be at a loss, Isaac. Just think carefully," she advised.

Prince Isaac finally managed to summon his courage. "Father, Mother, I have not… thought of… uh, marrying. I do not know… whom and what is it that I seek for," he began haltingly. "I… uh, don't know what to say…"

_Oh, great… I'm now making a big mess out of myself, _he thought. _Like what Flint would say, kudos to Isaac._

King Kyle quickly came to his rescue. "Yes, we understand your dilemma, Isaac. It is not easy to find that special someone in your life."

"Then…" _For all I know, I may not even find that certain person! There are thousands and millions of people all over Angara… it's like a needle in a haystack!_

"Do not worry, Isaac; I'm positively sure that you will find your special someone one day." Then, with a wink, Queen Dora added, "But instead of waiting for that one fine day to arrive, we were just thinking to help you by speeding it up. What say you, Isaac?"

_… Uh… what should I say? … Or rather, what do I feel? I've never actually thought about this… thing, but… I do quite see the point, being my age now, and all that. I guess Father and Mother just want to look out for me, and I guess I should myself…_

Still, he doubted very much as to the process of 'speeding it up'. "… Even if I agree, I still do not understand how I can find that certain person… there are so many young women all over the world!"

"That is true, son. That's why your mother and I have a plan," said Kyle.

"A… plan? What exactly is it, Father?" asked a bewildered Isaac. … They even have a 'plan'?

Seeing his son's confused expression, Kyle laughed. "We will do the same as what my late father did to get me married."

Isaac frowned. "The same as what my late grandfather did…?" As he puzzled over that fact, a faint recollection clicked. "Oh, Father, you don't mean… a ball? At the palace?"

"You got it, son. After all, don't forget, that was how your mother and I first met," Kyle reminded.

"That is right, Isaac. Personally, I rather think it is an excellent idea. Since we will send invitations to all the population in every single country there is, you need not worry over discovering your 'dream person'." The queen then shot her son a motherly-knowing look. "And even if you attempt to argue over the possibility that that special someone might not attend the ball after all, do not forget that the chances are very slim, and such things are already decided by fate beforehand, so do not entertain that thought even for a moment." she finished with a smile.

"…" Her son closed his gaping, half-opened mouth slowly. How did she know what he was just going to say? At that psychological moment, Prince Isaac could almost swear an oath that his mother was quite cunningly capable of being a mind reader periodically, his especially.

King Kyle shifted in his chair. "Honestly, I never did believe wholly in these 'love at first sight' incidents, but—" he paused to glance at Dora affectionately, "it was mandatory to change my principles after my turn came."

The prince hid a smirk. He knew their story must have been romantic in the least, but he knew that a man with his duties hardly pestered an equally busy father about his love life, so he had (with a touch of regret) withdrawn tactfully. _And now it is my turn… _He reflected hard. If he agreed to this event, it would not be a light joke to be treated of… he, Prince Isaac of Vale, would be expected to choose his bride after the ball (and to make the biggest decision ever in his life, too!).

Comprehending his perplexity, Queen Dora again endeavoured to soothe his agitated psyche. "I know it takes a while to sink it all in, Isaac. We both know that it is perchance too impulsive for you, but I assure you, this… event will only be executed with the agreement of your own will and accord. No one, not even us, can ever possibly force you into this. Love is, what people say, fragile and wild."

"Take your time and consider, son. We will not rush you in naming your decision."

Moments passed. The whole throne room was silent. The King and Queen were as if mute, respecting their son's deep contemplation. He in return seemed to welcome the peace that reigned over the room, folding his arms over his chest as he employed his sharp wits.

Finally, King Kyle opted to tell his son that he was free to give an answer anytime he wished, that it needed not be now, there and then. But before he could form any words, Isaac himself spoke aloud.

"So… I am to choose?"

The silence broken, Queen Dora cocked her head inquiringly. "I beg your pardon, Isaac?"

Prince Isaac looked directly at his parents with a cheerful yet solemn and self-composed expression engraved on his attractive features. "I am to choose the woman that I will fall for, is that not right, Mother?"

"Why yes, of course, Isaac. It is all up to you."

He smiled; a simple, austere and down-to-earth smile.

"Then let it be done."

* * *

Author's Note: A note of thank you goes to Daidairo for her helpful suggestions and ideas about the castle! I would have never thought of a nursery room, the treasury and the stables (how shameful) myself, oddly. Comments, suggestions, criticism and advice are appreciated! 


	4. Fate's Trials

**CinderMia The Retelling of Fantasy's Tale**

I do not own Golden Sun. Let's worship Camelot, everyone! Well, if you feel like it. On the contrary, I have absolutely nothing to do with it, maybe except you can say that I like it, and that I'm making a fanfic out of the characters.

Note: This chapter is NOT from Cinderella; I'm devising this chapter all by myself. This may be a crappy chapter to readers, but I certainly not hope so. I'm trying to add more 'spice' in this story so that it won't seem too much of a copycat from the original tale, which I'm quite sure some people find it a terrific bore. Take note that this chapter may be gruesome and may not be so, since it all depends on readers' minds. There is some blood-spilling though, but don't worry, not killings or rapes or anything, so feel free to continue and read. Well, at least I hope so.

"…" - Talking out loud

'…' - Thoughts

* * *

Chapter 4: Fate's Trials 

_  
A peaceful, silent and beautiful night. The nightly winged animals flew in the moonlight skies silently, as if respecting the quiet atmosphere. The wildlife animals too prowled and wandered around quietly with intent, watching for their prey before pouncing on them with a deadly snarl. Nothing disturbed the silent night; it seemed so still. _

"Where…am I?"

_A young woman rose from the soft soiled ground, looking around her in confusion and bewilderment. She found herself in a small patch of clear ground, surrounded by clomps of tall trees all around her. The aqua-haired young woman stood up and observed her surroundings more. _

"Where…is this place? Why…am I here? Where…is everyone?"

_Deciding that she was somehow in a forest in the middle of the night, she was surprised not to receive any sound waves from her ears. Not a single bird was heard chirping amongst the trees. It was as if they had migrated to another place altogether. The wildlife; the animals that roamed through the forests at night seemed to have vanished. There were astonishingly no sounds of life at all in that place._

_Staring at the sky, the young woman was surprised to find a dead, dark blue sky above her. Not a single bright yellow star lay, thus causing a dark and foreboding night. The tall trees looming around her seemed to look at her with a stern glare, as if daring her to intrude their sacred place. The night was so indeed still._

_Feeling chilly, the young woman rubbed her hands on her arms in effort to warm herself. Staring nervously and warily at the dark night, she felt so lost. The questions that were uttered out moments ago still continued bugging her in her mind, refusing to cease. She just couldn't understand, couldn't grasp anything, everything around her. It was as if a semi-reality, a totally different dimension from her own, the real world. _

"F…Fizz? Step…stepmother? Sister Menardi? Karst?"

_Mia called out, her soft voice echoing through the dark night. As sweet and lovely her voice was, nobody answered her call. No response was obtained, and Mia's call was left unheeded, and was all for naught. _

"Is…anyone here?"

_Still no response._

"Please…someone…answer me!"

_And yet, Mia's pleas once again went unheeded as the strong wind blowing carried it to the skies. Her long silky aquamarine hair too obeyed the winds as they followed suit, her white robes swaying forth and back._

"No…I don't want to be alone like I was before…someone, please! Heed my call! Anyone…Father! Alex! Cousin Picard! Fizz! Where…is everyone?"

_Many minutes passed, and still the aqua-haired young woman's desperate call received no response. Giving up hope, Mia let her legs fall under her weight. Sadness, despair and desolateness overwhelmed her heart and soul, and finally she let her strained tears fall. A big tear fell gently on her lap as she cried all alone in the midst of the darkness. _

"No…it can't be…Why…why am I…alone?"

_Mia covered her face with her hands as she cried, something which she rarely did in her life. Her legs curled up and were placed tightly near her chest, her head bent down. Her lips were drawn tightly together, and unconsciously she bit her lip bitterly. _

_Perhaps too absorbed in her tearful thoughts, she did not realise her surroundings had changed gradually. The dark night turned even darker than before, the trees seemed to disappear before her very eyes as she looked up in surprise, twirling and twisting in a peculiar manner as they did so. Waves of darkness surged through the eerie night; not a single dim light was seen. They swept over Mia, and in a matter of seconds she found herself all alone surrounded by pure darkness. _

_Summoning her courage, Mia stood up unsteadily and surprisingly found that she could stand up in the middle of the darkness even though there was no solid floor. Her tear-stained red eyes wandered around wildly, yet failing to spot anything, as everything was pure black. She felt even more at a loss than before, but nothing changed. _

_She was still alone. Alone. That one single word meant little to many, yet so much to her. Being alone was something she disliked very much, perhaps even hated. She detested the feeling it gave her, the sight of her alone and nobody else…it was as if she was deserted. _

_Suddenly, in the midst of the darkness, a dim light shone far away. Mia's sharp eyes caught it and her hopes ran high in escaping from this detestable place she so much hated. _

"That must be the exit! I must hurry!"

_Not wasting a single moment, Mia darted for the dim light, the light that brought hope to her very being._

_Mia kept running and running, never stopping in her run for the light. Her spirit told her never to give up, to continue to chase after the light, the only thing that may save her. She pushed her body forward as much as she could, not wanting to stay any second longer. _

_And yet, she still failed to grasp that light. It seemed as if it was running away from her too, not wanting her to escape, even so much as to stop and tease her when she too paused for a seconds rest. It lingered there, irritating the young woman so much whom wanted dearly to escape her dark prison._

_And though Mia tried her very best to grasp that dim light, her stamina failed her, and soon she found herself falling onto the hard uneven unusual floor with her back on the top, even further away from the light of hope. _

_That very light that brought hope wandered and withered away into nothingness, into the black abyss. _

_Seeing that, Mia's hopes dashed away instantly. _

"No…no…"

_Choking back a gulp, she lay helplessly on the floor, and though she was indeed a determined young woman, she finally gave up all hope. She was too tired, too tired to even pour out all her sadness by letting her tears out._

_Perhaps the everlasting abyss was the cause of all that suddenly happened to her, but somehow she felt her spirit suddenly withering away, her soul dissipating slowly, her life span gradually draining. Her head felt empty, only to be replaced by headaches. Her fingers, hands, arms, body and legs felt weak, unable to move. Her eyes lost all of her inner fiery spirit as they became dull and etched. _

_Suddenly, the uneven floor gave way, and Mia's limp body fell, yet her half-closed eyes registered that she was not falling at a rapid speed. Too tired to resist further, she just let it carry her to wherever it wanted. Darkness once again swept over her body and for a split moment Mia thought she would die. _

_Moments later, her blank, tired eyes fluttered opened and looked wearily around. To her amazement, she founded herself currently in a dark abyss that resembled a sea. Though how on earth did she get there, only Mercury's spirit knew and witnessed._

_And then something immediately clicked into her mind, even though everything to her seemed to be progressing slowly. The very next thing that registered into her mind. _

_She, Mia of Imil, was drowning._

'_Dying? I'm…dying? It can't be…to die now…will it matter?'_

_And for a split moment, the answer was instantly clear to her._

_'Of course it will matter! Even though many may not care, but there are still few out there whom I know will grieve! I mustn't die yet! No, not now!'_

_And it was then, that everything changed. Her mind seemed to be responding faster. Her limbs, tendons and muscles no longer felt stiff and tired as before. Her nerve impulses worked actively, her life no longer felt drained of its spirit, and to her joy, her energy almost felt renewed! It was as if Mercury herself had helped to prolong her life by regenerating her life energy. _

'_I must reach the top of this dark sea, no matter what the cost!'_

_Having renewed hopes in surviving, the young woman tried to swim to the surface. Her legs kicked out with renowned energy, her hands were flung out as she swam like a fish. Fortunately, Mia was one of those who had taken swimming lessons, and was an excellent swimmer. Minutes later, she was overjoyed to find that her deep efforts were not in vain, and that she could see the glimpse of daylight above the water. That and that alone, was enough to make her swim even more vigorously to the exit of her nightmares._

'_Daylight! Oh finally at last…thank Mercury!' _

**_"Do not count your chickens before they hatch…" _**

_Least when Mia was not expecting it, a deep booming voice echoed in the midst of the dark sea, bringing a chill down Mia's spine. The voice was neither male nor female; it sounded dead, inhuman and monotonous, something that was never common in humans. And yet, it held a certain degree of sarcasm and bloodthirstiness, as if it craved for the young woman's blood. _

_Mia shivered involuntarily, but she was determined not to prevent her from escaping. Whoever that voice belonged to, it must have been the one who dragged her into all this nightmares! Rushing towards the surface, she kept reassuring herself that everything would be all right, and that she would prevail. Yet, something deep in her, perhaps her sixth sense, told her that something was wrong, and would go wrong._

_**"Escaping from my little cell might not be a wise action, young woman…" **_

_Shivering once more, Mia struggled to get to the top. Her hands and legs were starting to feel numb as the consequence from being in the cold sea for quite some time. She realised that her energy was slowly draining away, and so she tried to push away the tiredness that lingered all over her body, yet slightly failing to do so. _

"_**If you still wish to resist, then I'm afraid I must act."**_

_A big wave suddenly surged towards her, throwing her backwards deeper into the sea. Thrown overbalanced, Mia opened her mouth involuntarily and let out a scream that was lost and only to be replaced by small bubbles of water. Struggling to rise back forth, Mia shook her cold hands, ignored the cold, tingling sensation and swam forward to her desired destination. _

_'I must reach the exit no matter what! I must…even if I have to lose feeling of my arms and legs! I'll do it and escape from all this!'_

_"**My my, such a persistent young woman aren't you? Well then, let's be serious, and I'll play fair game too. Show me more, and let me enjoy this more."**_

_Unprepared for the next attack, Mia was again thrown overbalanced by multiple waves directly overlapping her, no doubt an act caused by the unknown opponent. She tried to resist and push forward, but every single step she took towards the surface of the sea, more waves seemed to come in order to prevent her escape, pushing her deeper into the sea. _

_This time Mia was perhaps not so fortunate. Letting out another scream, Mia hit the bottom of the sea with a sickening crack, and she felt her body go limp. Her numb arms and hands lay helplessly on her side; she couldn't even feel her legs anymore, due to the cold. Her eyelids fluttered open and shut, desperately trying to keep her consciousness in mind. Her mind soon became groggy and filled with heavy headaches as she tried to focus on anything._

'_Oh no…no…this can't be…I…I failed even with…Mercury's help? No…I don't want…I don't want to die…I don't want this! I don't need…this…everyone…" _

_Tears fell easily and rolled down her cheeks eagerly and down to the seabed, appearing as in small glitters. Though only half-conscious now, Mia could still feel the unknown evil's presence near her, approaching her, laughing at her utter defeat._

"_**Remember, Mia of Imil, resistance against me, is so ever futile. No one, in the whole entire of Angara, has ever managed to escape my invitation of misery and wrath."**_

_'No…is this…how dying is like? I can't stay conscious much longer…perhaps my time has come…oh Mercury, is it by your hand…that I die…under these circumstances?'_

_Mia could feel her life energy draining rapidly from her body, and she knew that it would be of no use to resist further, especially under her hurt conditions. Her eyes couldn't even open anymore, it just wouldn't obey her no matter how hard she tried to open them._

_'I'm so pathetic…I can't even move at all…letting my enemy here…to do whatever it wants…if only I could move…that's it, I must move! I must…be able to at least do something even though I can't even open my eyes! There must be…something!'_

_Encouragement seeping through her weak soul, the rest of her leftover energy from all over her body was then gathered on the center of her heart. Releasing a cry, she was amazed when she could feel a ball of energy released from her chest, hurled towards her opponent._

_"**GUAAHHH!"**_

_The monster-phantom above her shouted in pain, but as Mia's force was not strong enough, it still remained above her. Her efforts, after all, were still in vain._

_"**Impossible…after my attacks, she is still able to summon her energy to resist me?"**_

_The phantom sounded disbelieving and slightly shocked, but regained its stoic and cool composure seconds later._

_"**Hmph, no matter. Even thoughyou still tried to resist me until the end, you still fail! Weak, helpless, pitiful humans…why, your attacks were just like a fart from a mouse that was going to die! Pitiful…how pitiful and sad it is! AHAHAHAHAHAH!" **_

'_This is it…I really can't do anything anymore…I'm even surprised to have able to summon my energy against him…I'm really dead now…'_

_**"You have proved to be a very entertaining human, unlike the rest, but yet, you will still fall under my very hand! Well, I must say that it was fun when it lasted. Be grateful, stupid human." **_

_The phantom said mockingly, taking his dear time in killing the aqua-haired woman, savoring the awaited moment._

'_No…this is the end…I never even got to say goodbye…to everyone…'_

_Too weak to do anything anymore, Mia just waited for unconsciousness to come, and death to take over her body. The dark phantom could be felt slowly bending downwards towards her, its limbs stretching out to claim her blood and soul._

_**"Let me relish in your blood and soul!" **_

_All was silent except for the phantom's soft cackling ringing in her ears. The eerie noise then suddenly came to an abrupt end and was placed with a sheathing sound. _

**_"NOOOOOOOOOO!" _**

_The creature suddenly shrieked loudly in pain, an inhuman cry. Feeling that its presence was no longer above her, Mia opened her eyelids in surprise, for she had expected a quick death. She tried shifting her body, but to no avail._

_It was then that Mia got the first look at her opponent. Not that there was anything to see anyway. It had the curious shape of a human body, but nothing could be seen clearly, for a dark shadow and aura enveloped its whole body from top to toe. It was bending and twisting, taking staggered steps away from her as it did so._

_Too surprised by this turn of events, she could only stare in confusion at her enemy, and it was only then that she realise what made it shriek out in pain. A small hole could be seen around its body, slowly growing bigger and bigger by the minute. Endless blood poured out from the hole; the blood was disgustingly not red in colour, but a deep sticky, slimy grey. Seeing this, Mia shivered in fright. Calming herself down, she deeply wondered who and what did that, but as she tried to focus her eyes on the blurry dark sea, her mind started to boom away, giving her unneeded headaches. Thus she gave up on seeing her savior whoever that was._

_Gaining her senses, Mia tried to stagger to her feet, though with no success, as her limbs and muscles refused to obey her commands. Her breaths were beginning to get short and raspy, she was scared that she would still die even if her enemy was dead. She fell down on the floor in a heap once more, though this time her fall not heavy. Managing a soft moan, she could only continue to look upon her enemy in fear. It was still twisting in a nightmarish manner, shrieking and shouting around in incomprehensible words. The evil phantom finally then collapsed to the floor inches away from her, finally succumbing to the pain it faced._

_Mia heaved a big, heavy sigh of relief inwardly; at least she was safe from him even though she still could not move. She was safe from him…_

_Not._

_A dangerous long tentacle suddenly reached out to the innocent young woman, and she cried out in pain when it pierced through her chest._

_"**I…may die…but I won't be alone! Suffer… in pain! In…the end…I…am…still…the…winner…" **_

_The evil phantom said its last words proudly before its body all slowly turned into black ashes on the seabed, triumphing dearly over his win despite his own loss taken._

_The pain was unbearable. Mia could not even cry out in pain anymore. Blood was pouring out, spilling over her body, drenching and spoiling her light-blue robes. Mia knew she would die within a few minutes. Nothing could save her anymore. Her body was too tired and exhausted, her breaths getting short, and worst of all, the pain that she received from the last and final attack, the long tentacle that pierced her chest. No ordinary human being could sustain all that, and certainly Mia was not a special young woman._

_And it was then, that the second and final miracle appeared._

_A bright light suddenly materialized and shone through, clearing the dark abyss-like sea and lighting it up in an instant. The light shone brightly indeed, but the light did not seem to affect Mia's eyes at all, unlike most common fluorescent lights. _

_Mia's half-opened eyes looked at the source of the light. She was indeed surprised when she found out that the source had the familiar shape of a human being, gender most probably a youngish male as she could see the blurry outline of high and broad shoulders. Above the blurry outline of that person, she could not see anything else as the light enveloped him all over. It was as if he was an angel himself, descending down from the heavens to save her._

_He slowly walked over to the immobilized young woman, and when he finally reached her, he bent down and kneeled right beside her, his knees on the seabed. Mia's heart started beating painfully at a fast pace. She did not even know whether she could trust him. _

_'What will this person do? Is he also my enemy? I do not think that is so…but even so, is this person the one…who saved me earlier on? If so, what is he going to do right now, kneeling beside me? He can't save me…I can't be saved anymore…'_

_Thousands of questions circled in her mind, but all was erased immediately when her unknown savior lifted out his hands and gently carried her bleeding body halfway up from the seabed, one arm alone supporting her back. Looking confusedly at him, Mia could only see a light warm welcoming smile in response from the unknown person. Somehow, that action alone could already soothe her heart and confirm the fact that he wouldn't harm her._

_His other hand free and unoccupied, the young seeming-like angel placed it on top of the tiny hole in her chest where the dead tentacle had pierced. As soon as it was placed there, the dark sea was immediately erased in a split moment, and both of them seemed to be floating in the middle of the glorious heavenly light in the middle of heaven. Light seemed to flood out of nowhere, aiming towards the center of the young male angel's palm._

_A calm, warm and healing feeling surged through Mia's whole body. It felt so pleasant indeed to the young woman who had exhausted all of her limbs. That feeling alone made her feel as if she was already in heaven, and that nothing could ever hurt her anymore._

_Moments later, the angel withdrew his hand, and suddenly Mia felt fully regenerated and energized. Much to her joy, the hole in her chest was fully healed; it was as if she had never been pierced at her chest at all. All of the bloodstains on her robes were all gone, and her robes were as good as new. Her face was no longer stained with blood; her eyes seemed to shine with their usual glory and beauty once more._

_No longer afraid of her angel, she smiled serenely at him and held his free hand tightly._

_"I don't know who you are, but you are my savior, and for that, I owe you my life and eternal gratitude. Thank you so much for saving me."_

_The angel smiled back in return, and to Mia's surprise, the light the enveloped around him seemed to disappear slowly. His body was gradually revealed and Mia blushed slightly when she saw a well-built and muscular body. Her inner mind, however, quickly chided her feelings, protesting that she could never like an angel. No ordinary human being and angel could get together. That thought alone was impossible._

_The angel's reply was soft and welcoming. His voice was soothing, reassuring and pleasant to Mia's ears._

_"I am indeed happy to have saved you. There is no need to thank me. I did it out of my own free will, and nothing else can change that, my beautiful lady."_

_"But still…I know you're most probably an angel, and that I don't and won't know you…but isn't there anything I can do…as a small reward for saving me?"_

_By this time, Mia had not bothered to shift from her position and let go from the angel's hold; she seemed happy and pleased to be in such a warm and pleasant situation. She did not want her angel to go yet; she wanted to see the face of her savior that was still enveloped by the light at least once, if that would be the last time forever in her life._

_The angel just smiled back in return once more, though this time a playful smile._

_"I do not think you can do anything in return…"_

_Mia lowered her head in regret._

_"…But perhaps, just perhaps, there may be something which I can only get from you…"_

_Mia's eyes instantly looked up at the face of her savior, though she could still see nothing of it except his warm, inviting smile._

_"If that is so, I will be indeed very happy to do it and give it to you…I have no hesitations at all. I owe you my life, and I intend to give something in return before you go to the heavens. Though I must confess that I am curious as to what I, a low-level class normal human being, can offer to you, a great angel…what is it that I can only give and not anyone else?"_

_"Hmm…perhaps it can be explained clearly in actions and not words…"_

_"Hmm?"_

_Mia looked quizzically at the angel, her face showing bewilderment and confusion._

_The angel in return just kept smiling at her, though Mia was surprised to find her angel smiling in a shy way, something what she did not expect from an angel._

_The next moments were unforgettable. It happened so fast, yet so slow. Mia's aqua eyes widened when she saw and felt the angel's face nearing hers. Drawing her breath sharply, she blushed, her cheeks turning a light red. As their faces drew close together, she could feel his light breath on her face; even his hold on her seemed to be tighter, as if not wanting her to let go._

_Mia did not understand this feeling, the feeling in her heart that did not mind this; perhaps, it even welcomed it. Yet, she knew such a feeling was impossible; after all, she had only just met the angel, and the same probably occurred to him too. How could he…of course, unless, he had been watching her all the time from the heavens, but…_

_Their faces were only a few inches apart, when the angel's face was suddenly revealed. When Mia's eyes were about to close, her beautiful aqua eyes caught something: his eyes. She suddenly saw his eyes and gaze on her; a pair of startlingly calm, beautiful crystal blue eyes that reminded Mia of the sea…_

_And that was all the beautiful young woman saw before her eyes closed shut and their lips met in a tight embrace, all else lost and forgotten. And away they flew, into the fields of paradise…_

* * *

Author's Notes: Yay, done! Wow, I actually did some romance! I hope it doesn't sound too mushy or crappy…yeah well since this is my first time after all in trying out this genre. I'm quite happy with this chapter though; I kinda like it. Hopefully it will appeal too to other readers. 

SO WHO'S THE ANGEL? I mean, so-called 'angel'…I thought that word was a suitable one, so in it went! Anyway, I'm sure all readers know who is it already; I mean, it's too obvious right? But if anyone really doesn't know, then it's still all right. Refer to the shippings and you'll straightaway get the answer. (hint, hint)

Oh and by the way, just some information for readers, I AM going to add more djinn into this story, at least eight more. All elements will be included. I hope that will spice up the story more, and make it more likeable.

To tell you the truth, I was going to continue this chapter longer, but since I saw that it was already quite long enough, so I thought I should separate it into two chapters, so next chapter is directly connected with this chapter. Stay in tune until then! Please read and review!

Reviewers:

Kodoku: Oh no, don't worry, I won't get pressured when it comes to updating soon, I'll just probably get excited in updating fast so that readers can read…guess it's slightly different. Well, hope so. And as for the 101 reasons for thinking otherwise of mudshipping, I won't say anything. Tell the Valeshippers to do that, not me. I probably can only think of five reasons at the most. Ehehe…thanks for reviewing!

Neo Juste Belmont: Oh yeah, I'm glad at least someone likes fairytale retellings…I thought it would be a bore. As for Garet and Jenna's roles, you'll know soon. Oh and don't worry, I won't kill you for creating a Aquashipping fairytale spinoff; on the contrary, I'm feeling so happy that my fic can inspire other readers to write too! Thank you for reviewing!

Ayumi187: Wow, I'm so glad I captured Isaac's personality nicely! That makes me so happy…-drools- Well anyways, yes it's true that I have never played either Golden Sun games, though I do know a little of it since my sister played it, but of course watching is totally different than actual playing. I hope you like this chapter…thanks a lot for reviewing!

GoldenSunGeek: Jenna as the fairy godmother…yup, I guess it's as plain as daylight. And 'course you're a loyal reviewer! Don't forget you, Kodoku and Ayumi187 started reviewing ever since chapter 1…I hope you like this chapter. Thank you for your review!

Gothix: I'm glad you suggested the idea of adding Djinn…and don't worry, I am adding some of your favourite djinn, though I think it wouldn't be nice if I were to spoil the fun for you and tell you now…thanks for the suggestion!

akissinthedreamhouse: Yay, I'm so glad another person complimented my fic! And don't worry; I don't take any offense for your comment on Kyle and Dora. After all, I can't really imagine them becoming King and Queen too…I also had a good laugh. After all, they were just normal villagers, but then again, Isaac was one too, and yet he's a prince here, and I don't seem to find that weird. Thanks for your review!

Goldens Sun Forever: Another compliment! Yay! –skips around happily- Oh and yes, I will be adding more Djinn in the story, and possibly a Djinnshippinng too, though I won't say whom yet now. Thanks for the review!

enigma4ever2020: Of course Isaac sounds like Isaac! Well yeah, since I meant it to be like that, so er…yeah. Hopefully this chapter is good to you, hopefully you won't puke and phone me and say 'Walau…so mushy wan!' Okay? Good sister. Oh yeah, and thanks for the answers for my questions and the review.


	5. The Secret Behind The Scenes

**CinderMia The Retelling of Fantasy's Tale**

…I think I'll leave the disclaimer this time. Anyone should know that Camelot is the great one…right?

* * *

Chapter 5: The Secret Behind The Scenes 

Opening her eyes, Mia was startled to find herself in her room, the old, small attic. She sighed heavily, realizing all that happened. Rising from her bed, Mia looked around her and found her close friend, Fizz, in an upright position beside her, looking worriedly at her. "Mia? Are you okay? You were crying out occasionally in your sleep…"

Wiping a sweat from her forehead, Mia smiled and patted the djinni. "Yeah, I'm all right, Fizz. Don't worry. I just had a nightmarish dream…"

Fizz cocked her head in question. "What kind of dream is there that is so nightmarish to you? You kept crying out softly, turning your head here and there, sometimes you even cried! What happened?"

Mia smiled seriously. "The same one that I've told you before, Fizz."

Fizz shook her head. "…Wow. There must be something wrong here. I think that's been the third time you've experienced the same dream…"

Mia smiled fondly at her djinni. "Correction. This is the fourth time."

"Oh yeah, whatever. The point is, that's got to be something behind this dream. After all, this dream has been repeated for so many times, it's unusual! There has got to be a secret meaning!"

"Shush! Don't talk too loud, or my stepmother and stepsisters will come up." Mia talked in a whispering tone.

The djinni stuck its tongue out is a playful manner. "Oops. Sorry, Mia."

"Never mind, it's all right. Now then, back to the topic…Are you sure about this?"

Fizz nodded fervently. "There must be a hidden meaning. Did I ever tell you, Mia, that we djinn believe in dreams? Certain dreams that are repeated a few times usually bring secret meanings."

"Yes, you did tell me that once. But if I'm not mistaken, you did say that only Jupiter adepts or whatever it's called can only experience such things, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. And by no means are you a Jupiter adept. I know it. And yet, you've been experiencing this weird dream. It's very unusual. …Wait a minute, maybe there's something very important that you need to know! It must be something very important, until a non-Jupiter adept like you can experience it!"

"Hmm? I'm afraid I don't understand, Fizz."

Fizz shook her head. "No, it's all right. I just have a hunch. Maybe you could tell me this dream again, Mia."

"All right. Are you sure you don't want to wait until tomorrow? It's in the middle of the night now, and I know your sleep is important to you…" Mia chuckled.

"No, I don't mind this time. I'm eager to get to the bottom of the matter."

"All right then. Well, I'm not very good at relating, but it's something like this. Somehow, I found myself lost and alone in a forest…" And Mia continued relating her strange dream from the beginning till the end.

_Minutes later…_

"So that's the end of the dream."

The Mercury djinni stuck a thoughtful pose as she sat on the bed, her cute blue tail (which had a ribbon tied on it to differentiate her gender) swishing as she was deep in thought. "Hmm…"

"Well? Any leads?" Mia asked hopefully. She was indeed eager to know why was she experiencing this dream so many times; such an unusual thing had never occurred to her before.

"I'm not too sure…it's too jumbled up in my mind…wait a minute, I think I've got it!" Fizz's voice increased slightly at her excitement. Mia, too, for once did not notice this fact as she was too occupied on the more important matter.

"Really? Then, could you please enlighten me on the whole thing, Fizz?"

Fizz just nodded her head in response. "I'm not too sure what I'm saying is correct, but like I say, it's just a hunch. So I can't really confirm what I say…is that all right with you, Mia?"

"Sure, I don't mind. Anything can be possible."

"Well, here goes. If what I'm thinking is correct, then this strange dream…is a test."

Mia cocked her head puzzled. "Test?" She echoed Fizz's last word.

"Yeah. I know it sounds silly, but that's the only thing I can think of. It's a kind of trial to test your physical and mental capabilities. I don't know who caused this dream or test, but let's just take it for granted that he or she is neither bad nor good. Look it this way; first you were lost in the middle of a forest all alone, then after that, you were drawn into a deep black abyss-like place. Then, a dim light appears in the middle of the dark, and you tried to grasp it, but failed. Doesn't it appear to you that those two situations seemed like a test, a trial to see whether you could sustain your fears and pains?"

Mia frowned in attempt to follow and absorb her friend's words. "Yes…it does seem so. But if I failed to grasp that light, doesn't it mean that I failed the test?"

"Yeah, I think so. That light was probably testing your physical abilities, to see if you were strong enough to catch it."

Mia's head bent down in regret. "Which means I wasn't strong enough…"

Fizz jumped on to Mia's shoulder and patted her shoulder using her tail, as she had no hands. "Well now, let's not think it that way. Let's get on with the sequences."

"Alright. Let's continue. After that, I suddenly felt like everything of me was disappearing into nothingness."

"Hmm…yes. Then, the weird floor gave way, and of all places, you fell down into a sea."

"It was then that I realised that I was drowning, and that I was filled with doubts. A moment later, I realised the truth and got my proper bearings. After that, I tried to swim towards the surface of the dark sea."

Fizz kept nodding her head. "Well, it would seem to me that even though you failed the test, you still showed whoever that made you go through this test that you were strong and determined inside by pushing away the countless doubts, so he or she decided to give you a second chance in your physical test. And that was to survive in the dangerous sea and escape to the surface."

"Wow. That's a great deduction, Fizz. Your reasoning does seem to fit after all." Mia smiled affectionately at the small blue djinni.

Fizz just beamed back. "Well, to get on with the story, you were going to make it to the top, but unfortunately someone, an unknown enemy shall we say, stopped you from doing so."

Mia bit her lip, feeling aghast once more. "And yet, even after the second chance, I still failed…"

"No, you passed."

"What?" Mia blinked in confusion as she gazed at Fizz.

"You see, you were already making to the top, and I'm sure you would have, since you were so close. The first test was over. I think the reason why your enemy pushed you back into the sea was because he or she wanted did not want to you to exit the dream yet; and that is to start the second test…the mental test."

"Mental…test. And what…is the test?"

"Well, I'm not too sure about that, but I can hazard a guess or two. The unknown enemy's power and frightening voice was probably part of the mental test. He or she was testing you, to see whether you would be intimidated. But you weren't. Also, the climax, the most crucial part of the test was when you were about to be killed. You could not do anything; yet, you summoned all of your energy left in your body and launched it against your enemy as a final attempt in escaping. That, above all, showed your inner determination and fiery will."

Mia smiled. "So from what you say Fizz, I passed the second test."

"Yup, that's right." Fizz smiled back and patted her head using her tail. "And I've got prove to back up my suggestions too."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"Oh Mia, don't be so dense. My prove is of course the angel!"

"The…angel?" Mia stopped to think for a while about the person she had encountered in her dream.

"Yes! If that male angel came to you, it meant that you had passed both tests, and that he wanted to help you out from your nightmarish dream! Don't you see what I mean Mia?"

"Yes…why yes, I suppose that is so Fizz." Mia brightened up. "So that's the whole meaning to my dream?"

"I should think so. Does it make any sense or logic to you yourself, Mia?"

Mia chuckled lightly. "I think so." Then she frowned. "There are two things I don't understand though…"

Fizz looked at her quizzically. "What is that?"

"What is the purpose…for this dream? Why must it be me who feels it and not anyone else?"

Fizz sighed. "I'm afraid that I cannot help you with that one Mia…I myself don't know the reason for the test. It can be anything. Who knows that dream has connections with your life now and your future?"

"Well now, that does seem a little far-fetched, don't you think so?"

"Perhaps…but you just never know. Well anyway, what's the second thing that you don't understand? Seek for your answer from your advisor over here, and maybe you'll find it!" Fizz stood up proudly in an action, her chest puffing out broadly.

Mia laughed at her friend's antics. "Dear Fizz…you can make a good entertainer."

"Well of course! I'm excellent in cheering people up! Now then, what's your question Mia?"

Mia stopped laughing and frowned. "Who…who is that angel, that person who helped to cure me? And why did he ask…for such a thing?" A light tint of pink rose in her cheeks. _The angel…he really was quite…cute and handsome, I guess…-sigh- if only I knew something, anything about him, even his name…oh well, just my luck…I guess._

The cute djinni chuckled heartily, remembering the last part of her dream. "Well well, I don't know anything about this…angel you speak of Mia, but since I believe that your dream is not an unreal one, then one can easily make a guess. Perhaps this person is real, a person that exists in this big world of Angara, and that this person probably admires you, or secretly likes you but doesn't know it yet."

Mia's eyes widened. "Truly?"

Fizz chuckled again. "No, I'm just guessing. Any guess is as good as another Mia. Who knows? Maybe what I just said was really true, and that next time you'll be together with that guy, whoever he is!"

The young woman blushed. "Fizz! I don't think you should…jump to conclusions too fast! There are so many men and women in the whole entire world, why me anyway?"

Shrugging her shoulders (if she had shoulders), Fizz beamed at her. "Hey Mia, didn't I tell you that I'm very good at predicting and fortune-telling even though I don't have any links or connections with the Jupiter clan?"

Mia rolled her eyes in amusement. "Well well, and you call predicting that a huge rock will fall and hit Prox when such a thing never happened good predictions?"

The aqua djinni flushed and lowered her head sulking. "Man…that was the only time my predictions were wrong! I really did think that this huge rock would have fallen on top of Prox though…you really don't need to remind me that you know, Mia."

Her partner giggled. "Sorry, I just can't help teasing you sometimes Fizz."

Fizz in question pretended to be angry and instructed her with another pretend stern look. "Hmph! Teasing a cute little djinni like me, you've got quite some guts to do that Mia! Man-"

"Shush!" Mia quickly put her hand near Fizz' mouth, silencing her at once.

Fizz whispered back. "What's wrong Mia?"

Mia frowned. "I'm not really sure, but I thought I heard light footsteps coming up the attic…perhaps our voices woke up my family members. You better remain still like a toy doll just in case."

"Alright."

No sooner than Fizz had jumped off Mia's shoulder and landed on her bed, keeping a blank look on her eyes and keeping dead still in pretence, a bright light from a torch shone towards Mia.

"What's all this noise in the middle of the dead of the night, huh?"

Adjusting herself to the light, Mia found her stepmother, Merlina and her two stepsisters, Menardi and Karst at the footstep of the attic, all three wearing their red nightgowns, looking at her angrily with clear distaste and annoyance.

"Stepmother! Sister Menardi and Karst! What…" Mia tried to speak pleasantly to them, though she couldn't help feeling a bitter taste in her mouth as she uttered out their names. Not like it was hard to speak to her family members, but sometimes Mia had to restrain herself from speaking to them as angrily as when they always spoke to her. All the punishments, hard work and bad treatment that they gave to Mia did not make her feel at home in her 'home' at all. It was similarly more to a prison, where she had to do all the dirty work like a thin, badly-treated slave.

"You don't need to ask what are we doing up here, stupid child. What else other than you disturbing our blissful sleep? We could hear your voice so indeed clearly from below!" Merlina cut her sentence short and snapped back at her.

Menardi, her eldest daughter stepped forward with a hatred look at her stepsister. "Hmph, and I do not see anyone here other than yourself. Talking with yourself, hmm Mia? Too worried about your father perhaps? Or is it about your miserable life right now?" She spoke with a malicious mocking tone.

Seeing an opportunity to humiliate Mia further, Karst continued chiding her in a sarcastic manner before Mia could protest. "Well well, I must say that talking to oneself is not such a bad idea, sister. But of course, I only mean such ridiculous things for ridiculous people! Thank Mars I wasn't born with you and your silly attitude, Mia!"

Mia fumed silently, not daring to make any protests out of respect. She clutched her blanket tightly and lifted her eyes to the side of the bed where Fizz was still there, looking the picture of a cute doll. But if only one had looked closer, they would find its small two feet were clutching the blanket tightly and its eyes no longer dead and blank, but only to be replaced by a burning hatred and glare. _I just hope Fizz won't be too angry with them and leap from her role of a toy doll…she nearly gave herself away last time when she was looking out from my window and almost managed to frighten an innocent passer-by who was looking at her…_

The aqua-haired young woman's stepmother saw her gaze shifting to an unknown blue animal to her, and strolled haughtily over to Mia. Snatching up Fizz roughly with her right hand, she snorted loudly. "Hmph! You must have been talking to this stupid-looking toy of yours! Such a stupid and arrogant child with such bad tastes! How old are you? I am so indeed ashamed to declare to my friends that you are my stepchild!"

Menardi walked forward to her mother and took Fizz from her and examined it closely. Seconds later, she too snorted like her mother and laughed mockingly at Mia who was now staring back defiantly at her. "Hah! Such a stupid doll! Why, do you think you are still a small child, waiting for your father and mother to come and look after you? Hmph, how childish! Why, I bet this ugly thing is worth nothing!"

Karst too came forward and without any words she took poor Fizz from Menardi and flung it towards a dirty corner of the attic, and dust quickly rose. That part of the attic was the only place where Mia did not clean, as they were many dangerous night animals and mice (which she was not very fond of), and so Karst had observed that, and had purposely thrown the djinni there.

Mia could not stand it anymore, and she shouted. "Stop that! How can you do that to-" She quickly stopped her sentence midway as she luckily remembered not to give Fizz's real identity away. The young woman had never felt so angry before in her whole life. _Fizz, my friend- no, my best friend, was just thrown away like that as if she was nothing worse than rubbish? Even if Karst didn't know that Fizz is just as alive as you and me, she has no right to do that to my belongings if she thinks that it is mine! How…how dare they! How can they do this…? Oh Fizz…I'm so sorry…for involving you in my family matters…_

But no matter how angry Mia felt, she knew that standing up to them would be of no use at all. Keeping silent, she bit her lip bitterly and stared back defiantly at Merlina and her stepsisters, something which she still rarely did. Only when Mia's friends and not Mia herself did get hurt would that trigger Mia's anger.

Mia rose from her bed and quickly hurried to Fizz who was practically lying in a layer of dust in an unconscious state, and picked her up gently. Her hand was stretched out, and she started brushing away the dust, completely ignoring the other three women in the attic.

Merlina snorted once again and rolled her eyes as she mocked Mia further, taunting her patience even more than ever. "Well now, good little girl Mia is sooo kind, even to her own darling, little toy-pet! How unbelievable! Can you believe this, my dear Menardi and Karst?"

Karst glared at her stepsister. "Why yes, mother, indeed." Her malicious voice seemed to be fully dipped in pure venom as it lashed out frighteningly. "My stepsister treats her own non-alive toys even more than how she treats her own family members whom she should be grateful and full of appreciation for! Can you just believe that, sister Menardi?"

Menardi didn't reply her younger sister; instead she just walked over to Mia. "Hmph! Ignoring us, people who are older than you, just like that! Such rudeness! Stupid bitch!" Before Mia could react further, the blonde had already pulled the unconscious djinni away from her, causing Fizz to fall to the floor once more, and slapped her right at her cheek with a resounding slap.

Mia's skin burned from Menardi's touch, but still she did not say anything, but only stood still, looked at her and glared back at her stepsister with an unfamiliar hatred look. Such a look was never seen burning in Mia's eyes ever before, and yet here it appeared at that moment, with a power that seemed to burn in her very eyes and pull people in. Staring right into those deep anger-flashing blue eyes, Menardi suddenly felt scared and intimidated for the first time in her life, causing her to back away slightly from Mia.

Stepping towards Menardi, Karst pulled her arm towards her. "Come on, sister. We don't have time to waste on this stupid girl. We shouldn't waste our beauty sleep just for this-" Noticing that her sister was not paying attention as she held a blank look in her face, Karst impatiently waved a hand at her face. "Menardi? Are you listening to me?"

Menardi suddenly felt dizzy, then she gained her full consciousness and pulled herself together. "Ah…yes…yes, I am. I just…spaced out for a moment."

Karst shook her head, and then started for the attic rickety staircase. "Let's go, sister Menardi, Mother. I think that's enough for our dear little poor Mia for the moment. My beauty sleep is definitely much more worthwhile then her anyway. Piece of shit she is!"

Both Merlina and Menardi followed suit, but not before Menardi took another half-puzzled look at Mia who was still staring at them with an angry expression on her beautiful face.

As soon as they had disappeared from her view, Mia's anger vanished and with all her defiance gone, her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor. Sobs soon started making way towards her, and she gently brushed the dust off the Mercury djinni Fizz and hugged her tightly.

_Oh Fizz…I'm so sorry...I…I shouldn't have pulled you into this…it's all my fault for causing you to feel pain when you have nothing to do with my family problems. My life…always the feeling scared and uncertainty…always waking up feeling sad and miserable…oh, how I wish, how I wish, to lead a happier life than this…surely this one and only wish is not too much? Just one…wish…yet…no one can help me at this time…_

Raising her head, the blue-haired young woman's teary eyes looked out from a small window in her small room and stared wistfully at the rising sky as dawn started breaking for a new day.

_How I wish I can be like a bird…to be able to fly and soar through the skies freely…happily…_

Suddenly, one of her treasured memories replayed itself in her mind, a memory of her deceased mother telling her something when she was still alive, and when Mia was just a small child…

Flashback

_"My dear Mia, have you ever wished to be like a bird? One who flies in the beautiful blue sky?"_

_Mia looked surprised at her mother. Saya was gazing at the blue sky above her wistfully._

_"Well Mother, I have never thought of such a thing, but perhaps…to be like a bird would be nice. After all, if I were to be a bird, I could fly all over the pretty skies freely as much as I like! Isn't that right, Mother?" Mia beamed at her beautiful mother._

_Saya lifted her gaze from the sky to her young daughter. Her eyes were not properly focused as she seemed to be recalling her past memories. "You know, Mia, once too…I wished to be like a bird. My thoughts were like yours; to be able to fly and soar through the sky freely, happiness surrounding me…"_

_Riveting her eyes and focusing them on Mia, she smiled and patted her head. "But later on, I found out that the sky…also is sometimes like a prison to those birds."_

_Little Mia looked puzzled at her mother. "But why do you say that, Mother?"_

_"Every animal, like all humans, needs a home to go to…a place to stay and live. But if a bird…is soaring endlessly through the skies looking for a suitable home, it is just perhaps, nothing different than being imprisoned. They do not have a place to rest their tired wings…They who seem to fly happily through the skies endlessly are actually none other than those lost and imprisoned, searching for the place where they can live happily and freely, desperately searching for their haven."_

End flashback

_Mother…How I wish too that you were here, with me…to guide me as you have always done in the past…_

Mia's tears rolled down her cheeks, and one by one they fell to the floor silently as she sat on the cold, hard floor, continued gazing at the orange sky dawning with a painful desire in her aqua eyes.

* * *

"Is there anything wrong dear?" 

"Huh?"

A golden-haired male dressed in royalty training clothes looked up and saw a grown-up woman smiling worriedly at him. Realising who she was, the young man quickly dropped to his knees.

"Pardon me, Mother. I did not expect to wake you up at this time in the early morning."

Dora smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry, dear. You didn't wake me up incidentally. I saw you training here in the training grounds, so I thought I would pay my son a visit and accompany him for a while." She turned a pretend stern look at him. "You should not wake up so early, Isaac. For a prince, you sure sometimes do not act like one in some sense. Though, of course, it's not for the bad."

Isaac rose from his knees, sheathed his sword, the famous Sol Blade in the whole of Angara, into the slot which was attached to his smart brown belt and smiled at his mother. "My apologies Mother. But I do realise that there is a necessity for me to train myself."

"True, yes. And speaking of another subject, was there anything wrong just now? A few moments before I came, you had placed a hand on your chest with a worried expression on your face, as if something was bothering you…did anything happen, Isaac?"

Isaac's young face turned serious, making him look much older than he actually was. His left hand reached for his chest, and he spoke thoughtfully, choosing his words carefully. "I am not too sure, Mother. Moments ago when I was training, I suddenly felt pain here-" He gestured to his heart. "As if there was someone, someone out there, that was in dear pain at that moment and needed comfort and help…it pulled at my heart too, somehow…"

Dora paused to look at her son. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Now Isaac, that is something peculiar…by no means you have experienced that before, am I right? Feeling others' pain is no ordinary thing that an normal human can feel."

"Yes, that is true, Mother. Yet…I somehow feel as if I am needed…" The young prince's eyes went into a faraway-off look before shrugging his shoulders in a common way. He gazed at the dawning sky with a thoughtful and concerned expression.

"Somehow, whoever that person is, that pain he or she is going through right now, it hurts me too…I wonder why…"

* * *

Author's Note: Whoopee! FINALLY, my fifth chapter is done! I know that I have been taking a long time to update this chapter, but unfortunately I must confess that I did not have much time in updating during weekdays since I'm usually quite busy then. A thousand apologies if readers think that I took such a long time to update…I hope this chapter is good enough for the long wait. 

Speaking of this chapter, I hope readers are also satisfied with the explanation for Mia's dream. I thought that there must be a reason why that dream happened to her, so that's where the explanation by Fizz comes in. And I've also decided to include in this chapter the appearance of Menardi, Karst, and their mother, Merlina. That part where they confronted Mia was sort of an example to show roughly how Mia was treated the whole time. I realise that I'm making them seem really bad, like the worst villains when everyone, even the worst murderers, have some tiny bit of good in them, but I just couldn't resist it. After all, this IS a fairytale right? So I hope their character fits in well enough, since I don't really know them very well.

Stay in tuned for my next chapter! What I plan for the next chapter would probably be quite easy to guess though…but if not, then all the more better! I hope I can update more frequently, but since my exam is in nearly in two weeks time, I doubt that though. I'll still try my best!

Lastly, to reviewers: Thank you so much for reviewing!

Haru-daioh: 'Hmm…'like a mouse that was going to die' huh? As what you might have read from my sister's review, I got it from the Dragon Ball comic that was translated into my own country's language, so I translated it into English and used it. I hope that was used properly though. XD

Kodoku: Yeah, no matter what people say about Valeshipping, I'll still continue supporting Mudshipping! Hehe…I hope this chapter where Isaac feels the pain that Mia's feeling is a good bit of Mudshipping. :D

Daidairo: Well, I suppose in your case, long review requires long responses. I like that though. And yes, just to confirm your suspicions, the fourth chapter was written in italics to show that everything that happened was just a dream. Nice dream huh?

enigma4ever2020: Aiya, no need to say anything lar. I already said what I wanted to say anyway in the mail, so I can just say here 'Please keep reading and reviewing!' whatever.

GoldenSunGeek: Well I don't know about playing Golden Sun…to tell you the truth, I feel kinda lazy to play them. Not like I'm saying that I don't like Golden Sun, but that it requires lots of time and planning, and my time is already quite occupied with my school stuff and other games. I'll think about it though. And I'm sort of glad that you felt that my fourth chapter was kinda creepy, since it was partly supposed to tell readers how much Mia was going through.

One Who Rides On The Wind: Well well, I think I caught the hint. Windshipping versus Lighthouseshipping eh? I'm still not sure on that one. As for your idea about everyone having a Djinni companion, it is definitely a good one, but for now, I think probably Isaac, Garet, Jenna and Mia will be the ones having a Djinn companion. But perhaps I'll give Alex and the rest one too. Thanks for the idea!

Tiger Dauthi: OH my god, one of my favourite authors just reviewed! SQUEEE! –jumps around in joy- No, seriously, I'm really happy that you reviewed! You're one of my most favourite Golden Sun authors other than Midnight C, Triad Orion and those kind of people, so your two reviews really did make my day, especially when you said that the prologue was great, and that I did a great job –sobs in happiness- Okay, maybe that was a little exaggerated, but I really did mean ninety percent of it, I guess…thanks a lot for reviewing! P/s: I hope you'll continue reviewing though… :D


	6. Destiny's Prophecies

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

I don't have, much less even own Golden Sun or anything that is linked to it.

"…" _- Talking out loud_

'…' _- Thoughts_

Yes, I have changed the title since the previous title seemed so crappy and uninteresting. So I hope old and new readers like it. If anyone has any suggestions to the title, please tell me either by mail or leaving a review opinion. Also, I'll write my author's notes and review responses here instead for a change. I'm really sorry for taking such a tremendous time to update, but I'm really trying my best to cope with lots of school stuff, three projects at one go, and more coming. Sigh…I hope this chapter is good enough for the long wait. I really apologise. I reuploaded this chapter since I made a very stupid mistake, unforgivable!

Now then, I'm pretty sure most readers will know what this chapter is mainly about, since there is some familiarity with one of the previous chapters. (hint, hint) There is also a part in this chapter that I just created on the spur of the moment, and this is the first time I've tried at such ways of writing and I find that I quite like it myself. I hope readers will find this chapter enjoyable and interesting.

IMPORTANT: As up to now, I have still not decided whether to have slight Windshipping or Lighthouseshipping. So I've decided that the result is up to the readers. Readers who want either shipping please submit a vote by way of mailing me or if you're lazy to do that, just leave a review. Voice up your opinion people!

Oh yeah, please review!

Thousands of thank-yous to the following people:

enigma4ever: Crap! That mistake was really unintentional...sob sob.

GoldenSunGeek: Heh, the part where Isaac suddenly sensed Mia's 'suffering' was kinda nice in my opinion too. Like those stuff you see in the dramas…oh and don't worry, you didn't spoil anything since after all, my story summary says 'Mud'.

Kodoku: Oh yeah, having so many school projects is really bad…Fizz in the previous chapter was like the explanatory person actually for readers to understand what's the whole dream about, and not particularly Mia only. Man…updating soon is really not suitable for me anymore. It's been like, past one month! Hope you're at least satisfied with this chapter.

Ayumi187: Glad my romance bits weren't cheesy and stuff. Not much Mudshipping in this chapter, but guaranteed to have much more in future chapters!

One Who Rides On The Wind: Well well, I guess I'll take that as a vote for Windshipping. Of course Menardi was always evil in the real game, that conveys to the readers how shock she was when she received that look from Mia until she got slightly dazed. That's about it.

Insanity Team: Hehe, sorry to say but you spelled 'formalitys' wrongly, it's 'formalities'. But never mind about that. I thought that even though Isaac is the son of the king and queen, he should still show some respect and bow to them and not just stride up to them and start speaking (lol). That was my way of thinking though. Wow…checking every five minutes for an update? Hope you'll continue reviewing then!

sweetmaiden: Having 'fun' eh? I hope so! (evil grin)

Eruruu: Thanks for the compliment! But actually there are quite many IsaacxMia stories; you can look in my profile at favourite stories. I always thought that other people were better at Mudshipping though…thanks a lot! Hope you'll keep reviewing!

* * *

Chapter 6: Destiny's Prophecies 

'_Violets…'_

_That was the first thing that entered and registered in his mind as he gazed around his surroundings. The small, dark purple flowers resting so peacefully on the ground beside him, looking ever so beautiful, blooming merrily in correspond to the calm and cool weather, stirring up a memory in him…_

'_Mother…'_

_His lips curled into a tiny smile as he bent down on his knees and gently plucked a small violet beside him, twirling the flower around slowly with his right hand._

'_Mother likes violets a lot…perhaps I should take some home for her.'_

_Although his mother was perhaps a rather buxom figure, but her tastes in flowers was dedicated to those small, tiny flowers that gave life and beauty to the earth. The young man reached out a hand towards a beautiful blooming violet, but abruptly stopped halfway._

'_But…to wrench and pluck the flowers away from their stem, their home, would it not pain them?'_

_Questioning himself in his inner mind, he thought concernedly for Mother Nature's creations. Ever since young he had always thought that every single living thing had a heart just like humans, had a soul and spirit like humans, and experienced one's emotions and feelings just like everyone else. _

'_But wait…indeed, of all places, where in the world am I?'_

_Realising that he was in a totally unfamiliar place, he looked around bewilderedly. His surrounding area gave him the impression of a paradise in the form of a heavenly yet somewhat mystical garden. Nothing other than that could be seen for miles; it really seemed like an open space._

'_I have never encountered such places as this…surely I would have remembered if I ever did journeyed to this heavenly place. But somehow nothing seems to click into my mind…where on Angara is this? Am I just dreaming all this?'_

_Rubbing his chin feeling puzzled, he stood up and looked around, valiantly seeking for anyone that he could see. But alas, he found that he was the only person there, and that he was, indeed, entirely alone. Thinking that he was just perhaps dreaming, he raised a hand towards his face and pinched his left cheek hard, expecting to wake up suddenly. Yet, that never happened; instead, he felt burning pain, causing him to wince under his own great strength._

'_Oww…this is indeed peculiar. By all means am I not dreaming…but this seems so unreal! Maybe I should scout this area and see if there is anything that I can find. There must be something that can tell me where and how did I get here.'_

_Sorting out his actions, the young adult determinedly walked forward with precise caution, his light steps as quiet as a cat when it readies to catch its prey, remembering his training master's wise words._

"_Always step forward with caution and concentration when you are in an unknown place, for you may never know when you might just be attacked by your enemies out of nowhere. These two things you must master and adopt always, and if I might add, best it be something compulsory to you, my dear student. Heed my words; they will certainly serve you well."_

_Minutes later, unfortunately he was still just as confused and bewildered as when he first started out. He had found nothing helpful; all he saw was just beautiful flowers, lovely trees and green grass stretched all over the green plains. _

'_This is really a puzzle…I just don't know what and where is this place, and not to say why and how am I here! But no, I cannot give up yet; perhaps Felix and the rest are also searching for me! I must not sit still and expect to be saved!'_

_Yet again encouraging himself, the handsome young man stood still and straight, and continued searching, hoping to discover something that would help him. Many puzzling questions buzzed impatiently in his mind, but he quickly brushed it off, not wanting it to bother his concentration and fill his mind with endless and needless worries._

_This time perhaps he was not that unfortunate, for he did not need to wait long for something to happen._

_Proceeding forward, his eyes were busy scanning the area before him alertly. As he gazed at an old elm tree at his left some metres away, he was, you could say, indeed very startled to find a human resting under that very tree. _

_Perhaps you could say that the surprise was due to the knowing of another human existence other than himself, but that, was not it. No, what startled him the most was that he recognized that person immediately; the very second he saw that person, recognition and shock surged into his mind like crazy pounding waves beating against the calm beach. What really surprised him was that that person whom he saw…_

_Was what he was._

_"W…what?" _

_There was no mistake about it; a tall, broad-shouldered young man, blonde spiky hair, with those unmistakably bright piercing blue eyes. That, and that alone, could only belong to one person, and no one else._

_Isaac._

_"W…why am I there? Am…am I not myself? Am I not…Isaac?"_

_Looking down upon himself bewilderedly, Isaac found that he was, indeed, Isaac himself. _

'_Then…who is that person that looks so like me? Is he some sort of replica of me? But if so, how can that be possible? No replica is ever this similar! I feel as if I'm seeing a mirror image of myself…that is never possible for just an ordinary replica! How indeed…'_

_The replica apparently seemed not to notice the real Isaac staring at him. Closing his eyes, 'Isaac' sat peacefully under the tree, feeling the calm winds blowing under the beautiful sky. _

'_He does not seem to feel my presence…perhaps I should talk to this replica of mine, but I must be careful, in case he is an imposter looking like me to drop my guard.'_

_Cautiously stepping closer, Isaac moved stealthily, his hand at the hilt of his sword. He had not gone further than five steps when he stopped in his steps, not believing his very eyes. The replica 'Isaac's eyes had snapped open, filled with sudden concern as he quickly stood on his feet, still not taking any notice of the real Isaac. A bright glow suddenly emitted from him, surrounding his body. Its pure light shining unlike any other light, it grew and expanded throughout the heavenly garden, covering it with its lovely welcoming warmth. _

_Isaac shielded his eyes from the brilliant light with his right hand as he struggled to see the form of his replica in the midst of the light. To his utter astonishment, a small pair of white feathery wings slowly grew from his replica's back, piercing the clothes as it did so. It grew larger and larger in size until it was as long as his body from head to toe. The wings looked so beautiful and pure; it's feathers were the purest white he had ever seen; and none other had he seen such pure white anywhere else. Gasping in surprise, Isaac could only stand fixed there as if he was stunned; he did not move an inch. Never had he seen such an astounding sight before._

_The beautiful pair of wings grown to its full size, 'Isaac' smiled slightly. Turning around towards the stunned Isaac in the midst of the bright light, he smiled angelically to him, sending another bout of surprise at the real Isaac. He was immediately reminded of an angel the moment 'Isaac' smiled at him; the angelic, calm and reassuring smile, his relaxed and calm figure, those white feathery wings at his back…the exact picture of an angel descended from the very heavens above._

"_Witness and believe what you see, but do not believe everything your eyes tell you. What you see is destiny fate has chosen; yet if you do not hold out your hand, what you see is naught for beliefs. Your hands…do not forget these words." _

_The angel's words were softly spoken, yet held a firm and melodious tone as it was carried on by the blowing winds to the wide-eyed Isaac. Then his wings flapped gently against the wind, and in the next instant he vanished out of sight._

_Young Isaac was still stunned by the past few events, his mouth slightly opened as he gaped, his eyes couldn't believe what he actually saw just now. Minutes later, when he finally recovered from the great surprise, he sat down on the green grass and tried to sort out the unusual turn of events swirling in his confused mind._

'_All right, now this is really unusual…the counter image of me was actually an angel? That…that doesn't seem to make any logic to me…why should an angel firstly appear to me in the form of myself? An angel…and his words…what did they mean? 'Witness and believe what you see, but do not believe everything your eyes tell you'? And what did he mean by holding out my hand? What about my hands? Argh, this is really too much to sink in at one time! I just can't seem to understand the significance and meaning in the angel's appearance and words…' _

_Shaking his head, Isaac got up slowly._

'_Well whatever it is, I must still find the way home, then I'll think more about it. For the mean time, finding out the way is the priority.'_

_But before he could take two steps forward, suddenly all of the garden scenery vanished. All the trees, flowers and grass disappeared into thin air, and only to be replaced by total darkness. _

'_Now what is this? Total darkness?'_

_Looking around valiantly, Isaac's sharp eyes could not see anything other than himself. It was eerily silent, even his own soft breathings could be heard; his heart beats as though as loud as a drum beating. Everything was just simply black. Crossing his arms over his chest, he sighed. This was indeed too much things to sink in at one time, one over another…_

'_I'm really starting to feel fed up…just when I can't understand anything, here comes another puzzling one. This is bad…I don't even know where am I now and what is going to happen…moving about in this darkness would be meaningless. Think! Think what I should do!'_

_Sitting down with his legs crossed, the young man closed his eyes and searched through his mind for a suitable course of action. He was very much startled when his opened eyes saw a small circle of pure white fluttered in front of him, flying in the air away from him. And then, without warning, white quickly seeped in the midst of the darkness, and a blinding flash occurred. _

"_What…"_

_Isaac shielded his eyes from the light; it was now too bright for him, a deep contrast from what he experienced seconds ago. And then, before his very startled eyes, pictures of scenes began to fly past in front of his being. A scene of when Isaac himself was only three years old, with his parents beside him; another scene when Isaac had deep fever, where everyone was worried sick; another one of Isaac when he was only twelve years old training with a blunt stick; all of his past events flashed back before his eyes._

'_This…my past…why?'_

_Suddenly he gaped. The scene that currently flashed before him was not of his past, yet something in it was, indeed, very familiar. _

'_The angel before! This can't be part of my past…I have never seen him before! And who is that person…?'_

_His crystal blue eyes told him all that could be seen. The angel in the form of Isaac with his wings and blinding pure light, bending over a young woman in her early twenties in a sitting position, his arms wrapped around her. Her features could not be seen however, as she was lying down, and that her face was blocked by the angel beside her. All that Isaac could see was that the young woman had strikingly long beautiful aqua hair. He struggled to recognize that woman in his jumbled mind, but nothing came to light about this unknown person._

'_They seem to be quite intimate…what are they doing? Why should this scene flash by? I do not know them at all…at least, not by sight. Are they trying to tell me something I do not know? That angel's words before he left…'witness and believe what you see'…was he referring to this one?'_

_The angel suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around the girl, bringing her close to him in an embrace. The young woman seemed stunned for a moment, but yet responded as she hugged him back. Feeling her warmth, the angel gently placed a light kiss on her head that was buried in his chest._

_Isaac gasped. But before he could watch the next series of events, the scene flashed by and disappeared, only to be replaced by another unusual scene before the confused Isaac, this time lasting for roughly a minute. He gasped._

"_This…why, it looks like a party ball!"_

_Indeed, it was none other than a party ball. Many couples were dancing in rhythm to the soft romantic music at the dance floor. No one was speaking; everyone enjoyed the peacefulness and the beauty of the calm night, enhanced with the slow order of music in the midst of it. It was a merry sight with many presences. The confused Isaac was as if only a spectator of that event. The surroundings were oddly extremely familiar. Beautiful flashing lights and lamps, the walls, the mosaic tiles on the floor and its pattern…_

'_This…is this the castle?'_

_Moments later he gasped. At a fleeting glance from the scene that floated in front of him, there was no doubt that Isaac the prince himself was present at the ball. Every line and feature were the same, it was as if Isaac was looking at himself in the mirror. The young prince, at the dance floor, dancing with a smile on his clean-shaven face…locking arms with a young woman…curiosity overwhelmed poor Isaac._

'_Me…? Is this trying to tell me not of my past, not of the present, but…the future? Then…this must be the ball that is being organized for me! But why…and who is that 'Isaac' dancing with?'_

_Isaac tried his utmost best to see the woman dancing with 'Isaac'. But unfortunately, no matter how hard he scrutinized, the woman's identity was not revealed to him. Her face and body were directly blocked by 'Isaac' as they moved together accordingly. Now and then, other couples would move towards them and block Isaac's vision further. The only thing that he could distinguish about the mysterious young woman was that she had very-distinguishable shining aqua hair._

'_Blue hair…is this the same person as to in the scene just now? She must be the same person…but how is she connected to the angel?'_

'_Isaac' and the mysterious young woman seemed to be oddly close for a first meeting with each other, for a few times other gentlemen and women had asked her and Isaac respectively to dance with them, but both had politely but resolutely declined. A few minutes had the young woman placed her head on the young prince's chest, and he had not made a single protest, but merely smiled in return._

'_Who…is she? My desire to know is so deep…why am I seeing all these things yet still kept fully in the dark?'_

_But yet again, before Isaac had more time to look further into the matter, the ball scene suddenly vanished in a blink of light, leaving not a single trace of it. And perhaps it was then that scenes ended, for none other came to confront him. _

_The last thing Isaac saw was a pair of deep crystal cerulean eyes haunting his mind and vision…but not his own…someone…those unforgettable eyes…_

_Everything went blank, whitewashed by the light._

_

* * *

What has happened? _

_What does one see?_

_What does one believe?_

_What is truth, and what is false?_

_What do you believe, and what do you mistrust?_

_Everything may be true, but nothing may be true. The truth is the truth, the false is the false. _

_But not everything is plain black and white._

_The truth may be false, the false may be true. _

_What one sees in reality might be all but a dream, what one sees in a dream may be reality. _

_One's eyes are the receiver of sights, yet they sometimes betray the truth._

_It all depends on one's deeds of action and the active mind. Everything one does is recorded in history no matter how small, never missing a line. _

_Never does history lie._

_What one does and has gone by, what one is doing, what one is going to do…all that history records in its brilliancy._

_The past, present, and future._

_What has one seen with one's eyes from the order or time?_

_Seeing is different than watching._

_Seeing the past with excitement, perhaps even with sorrow…the future the same._

_The past cannot be changed. What is done, is done._

_Yet, what future enlightens one of is not necessarily what one will undergo, for there is still time to change one's actions._

_Time._

_The primary factor that creates Past, Present, and Future._

_What has thee seen from what shown by Time?_

_It is what thee see, witness, and hear with thy ears._

_And what does thee know?_

_What is told._

_But not every time it is so simple._

_There are some things which cannot be told in all bluntness and simplicity, but in other methods of secrecy._

_Past, the teller of last times has passed, Future, the teller of afterwards has flown away but yet to show in the times to come, and now…_

_It has come the time for Present to act._

_Present is vital._

_Present, the result of Past; _

_Present, the predetermination of the afterwards; _

_Present, the beginning of Future._

_Present is unique._


	7. Final Preparations

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

As usual, I don't own anything of Golden Sun.

* * *

Chapter 7: Final Preparations

Prince Isaac woke up with a start. Sitting upright in his well-furnished silk bed under the warm blanket sheets, he looked out from the windows in his own personal bedroom. Dawn had just passed, and nature was welcoming the new day with wide-open hands. The sky was simply beautiful.

Looking down upon his hands, Isaac tried vainly to recall what had made him wake up so suddenly from his blissful sleep. Then it struck him, and he spoke aloud.

"That dream…"

_But why…indeed it is so unusual! This is the first time I have experience such a peculiar dream as this…there are too many puzzles…is this dream just coincidental, or does it bring specific meanings? Is it real, or just the imagination of my wildest dreams? Yet, the idea of it as an unimportant dream is as if out of the question…the whole thing felt indeed too real for a dream! And why would I dream something so unusual? Argh, even more puzzles than ever…this is indeed extremely confusing. Maybe I should seek for-_

"Isaac?"

Deep in thought, the young prince was startled when he heard his name uttered out, breaking the silence in his peaceful room. Looking towards the source of the voice, his clear blue eyes traced them to a small creature beside him on the bed with round but blank blue eyes, looking at him quizzically. Isaac smiled.

"Flint…you called me?"

The Earth djinni chuckled merrily. "Well I'm pretty sure no one else sounds like me you know. So yes, good morning my prince!" He tried to flourish a little bow, but his big and round figure of a stomach made it difficult, and so it appeared simply comical but cute.

Isaac chuckled at his little friend's antics, patting him gently on the head as he did so. "Good morning to you too, Flint."

"Yeah yeah, but that's not the reason why I called you. You seemed so distant just now, as if your physical body was here but your inner mind and soul somewhere else…exactly what in the world were you thinking of a minute ago?"

"Uh…" Isaac paused, feeling unsure. After all, a normal prince wouldn't have the time and duty to bother about dreams, no matter how unusual or mad they were; yet here he was, pondering so much about it. There was the matter of his own replica, the angel and his words; even the identity of the mysterious unknown young woman puzzled him. But naturally not all dreams were fully explained; dreams are dreams after all.

Flint pounced on Isaac at once. "What is it? Come on, you can tell me whatever that's bothering you. We're best pals remember! And best pals back up each other! Right? Or did I get the wrong concept? No, I'm quite sure I didn't. So then, why not tell me?"

"Well…"

"Yes?"

"I'm not really too sure whether I should say what is it…"

"Aha! I get it!" Flint jumped up and down in excitement.

Isaac raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Of course! Let me guess, you're too embarrassed to say whatever that thing was because it was probably about some girl right? It's always the case with many guys! Now don't be shy; this is perfectly natural! Now who is this girl you were thinking of Isaac?"

A light blush crept up his companion's cheeks. A little flustered, Isaac countered back quickly. "Of course I wasn't thinking about that!"

"Well then, why are you blushing?"

"Well…ah, never mind about that. It's not that I'm embarrassed to talk about it, it's just that I'm unsure that I should even be taking heed about it."

"Alright then, now what's the real thing?"

"…A dream."

Flint shifted his small round body in suspense. "Hmm…a dream eh? Not a normal dream I suppose…care to enlighten me?"

Isaac smiled.

"I'll be glad to."

* * *

A woman roughly in her thirties closed her eyes as she sat in a sitting position, her legs crossed. The white and simple long robes which she wore suited with her short light lavender hair and her calming personality. Her background was that of a tiny and little room. Though a small minute room, it still contained much space since there were not many objects in it. Only many little lamps lined at the sides of the room, the candles burning brightly, giving the room a deep but mysterious and dark atmosphere.

_  
Focus…concentration…_

The woman's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as many voices reached out to her in her mind. She was no longer in that minute room, her physical being still there, but her inner soul wandering away as she tried to make contact with the spirits she knew. The living spirits of Jupiter that she had always sought for words and advice from. They were trying to tell her something…but it was too hard to listen, for it needed fine concentration of the mind. Their voices were so muffled and far away…so distant…

And then she caught something.

Snapping her clear shrewd eyes open, she whispered a few intelligible words and stood up. Rising from her daily meditation, she exited the room resolutely, walking towards the second floor of the castle with a purpose set in her mind.

* * *

"So let me get this clear again. You see this angel thing who tells you weird things, then you see bits of your past, and presumably, your 'future' happenings too. Right Isaac?"

Isaac smiled amusedly. "Well yes, I suppose you could put it that way."

"So what's bothering you about it? Just a dream, that's all."

The young prince frowned. "That's the whole point. I know that dreams are just made up from the imagination of the mind, but to tell you the truth, the whole time I felt as if everything was so real. I've never felt like that before…I feel somehow so reluctant to push the thought of it away."

"Well then…I don't know what it's trying to tell you, but all I can say is, don't let it disturb you so much, otherwise you'll really get a big headache. Alright Isaac?"

"Yes Flint." He ruffled the Venus djinni's hair (if he had any).

Flint beamed. He and Isaac were always good friends, if not best pals despite their contrast between age and size. Ever since he found himself under the care of Isaac, he was constantly happy and cheerful. Even his original home was destroyed, and that was all that he could remember about his home. He did not know where did his family, the big Djinn family was. But that was a matter of the past many years ago, and by and by he had learn to forget about his history. Despite many assuring words from Flint that he didn't mind not knowing about it, Isaac still vainly tried to find Flint's friends over the years.

Suddenly Isaac's bedroom door knocked lightly, startling Isaac from his reverie. "Who is it?"

"It is I, Master Hama. May I see my lord in half an hour's time in the meditation room? I have some news concerning your djinni Flint that you both might like to know."

Flint jumped up and down in excitement, his eyes shining with hope. Isaac smiled. "Very well, I will be there in half an hour."

As soon as Master Hama was gone, Flint spoke excitedly to Isaac. "Hey Isaac, you think we'll have a definite lead at last? Whoever she was, she sounded quite promising."

"I'm not too sure, but Master Hama is very dependable and reliable, and I have learned to trust her judgment always. She is very well recommended by my parents in terms of capability and inner strength, possessing a wise, calm and serene atmosphere to those who know her well, but yet holds a sense of authority when she speaks, making people induced to listen to her wisdom of words. She can predict the out comings of certain things too, that is why she is one of our best castle advisors."

"Predicting…a Jupiter Adept huh?"

"Jupiter Adept? What does that term mean, Flint?"

"Well, remember when I told you that I'm a Earth djinni, or rather a Venus djinni? Venus sort of represents Earth, Mars for Fire, Mercury for Water and Jupiter for Wind. This four elements form a great power what we call Alchemy. From what I can remember about my real big family, each of the djinn represented one element, either Earth, Fire, Water or Wind. Djinn are supposed to aid special people whom we call adepts. Adepts are people who have some kind of link and connection with Alchemy, and each type of adept has his or her own abilities. For instance, Jupiter or Wind Adepts have the ability to predict something and able to read other people's minds. That's why I think that that Master Hama you spoke of is a Jupiter Adept. But there aren't many Adepts in this world though."

"I see…so you think that Master Hama might have contacted a few Jupiter Djinn and they revealed some information to her?"

"I hope that's the case."

By this time Isaac had already dressed into his royal clothes and armour and made his bed. He never did want extra work on the maids if he could help it. He walked to the door. "Do you want to follow me and meet Master Hama? You have never met her before, if my memory serves me well."

"I'd like to, but I'm afraid I'll scare the passing maids out if I speak. I'm always considered as a toy anyway. Talking toys freak people out, so I think you'd better go alone. Don't leave any news out though!" Flint winked.

Nodding his head in affirmation, he opened the door but paused in his steps. Turning his head towards the djinni lying on his bed, he asked casually with hints of humour in his voice. "On other thoughts Flint, do you think I'll make a good Adept if I'm one?"

The djinni in response laughed. "I don't know, who knows you just might be one! You'd be great as a Venus Adept, I can see that!"

Smirking slightly, Isaac left his room and headed for the meditation room, closing the door.

* * *

"King Kyle, Queen Dora, how may you all fare today?"

A wave of the hand. "Enough with the policies. I'm perfectly fine, Kraden." King Kyle responded with a smile on his face.

The King's advisor was an extremely talented scientist named Kraden. Now in his old age, he still sometimes conducted some experiments as his mild 'hobby' when he had the time, enjoying the delight in discovering new things. Many people who did not know him well labeled him as 'the senile, crazy old fool', but the king and queen of Vale knew better. His demeanor fooled those who saw him from the outside, but he was a good companion to Kyle, whom they shared a link as good friends ever since little.

Queen Dora chuckled lightly. "What news do you bring on the preparations of the incoming party ball, Kraden?"

"Ah yes, that. Everything has been arranged efficiently, Queen Dora. All individuals living in the castle have been informed of this incoming activity. Many are excited at the prospect of the idea itself. Our head of communication, Felix, is prepared to fly all across the whole world of Angara to inform all women with another five hundred eager messengers. If our calculations are correct, then with the efficiency of our highly rated messengers, the news will be known throughout the world by three months. Does that go well with milady's wishes?"

"Why, yes. Thank you for the information, Kraden. Then the actual activity will be held two months after that."

Kyle's deep voice interrupted. "I expect everything to go smoothly, Kraden. No flaws, no glitches. Make emphasis on that point. Understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will make sure of that." A glint of humour in the aged man's eyes appeared.

"Good."

* * *

"Master Hama?"

Isaac stepped into the meditation room with slight awe in his manner. Ever since he was small, he was always mesmerized with this particular room. Somehow, somewhat, it gave him the deep, calm atmosphere, inducing him to sit back and relax his physical body and mind. The brightly lit lamps at the sides of the room were the only lights in it, thus giving the room a mysterious glow to those who did not pay daily visits to the tiny room.

He did not pay much attention towards the room though. His eyes were focused on the human being in front of him who was in a meditating position. Slowly opening her eyes, Master Hama looked at young Isaac, her eyes shrewd and piercing. Many would flinch at her mere look, for those eyes were always sizing up the character of the person whom they saw. But already used to that, Isaac only stared back with interest.

"Yes, Prince Isaac. You are earlier than expected. Sit down here, child."

"Very well."

After Isaac sat down, he sighed before continued speaking. "I understand from earlier that you have some information about my djinni Flint's past. Would you please enlighten me, Master Hama?"

The elderly woman smiled. "Patience, child. Nothing is ever too late. But I understand your eagerness in this matter. Very well, listen carefully. By the merest pure coincidence I happened to make contact with another type of djinni, what we call a Jupiter Djinni. I presume you have already heard of it?"

Isaac nodded his head.

"Well then, this djinni given the name of Breeze revealed information that the big family of Djinn had been dispersed and separated from each other ever since their home was disrupted and attacked by a certain group of humans, therefore causing much chaos and difficulties between the Djinn."

Isaac clenched his hands; how could anyone in the world do such a harmful thing? He could not imagine himself in that bad situation…

"But fortunately all Djinn managed to escape, and they are all currently roaming throughout the whole world, most probably in groups, either big or small. According to Breeze, she says that she is now with a few of her friends, accompanying their current owner. And if I did not hear wrongly, it is said that they all will gather once more in the period of twenty years after their home was destroyed."

Isaac held his breath. "Twenty years…is that…?"

"Yes, you are right. Twenty years…meaning now. And if we were to count accurately, the exact time would rest on the incoming five months from now. And the place that they planned to meet before dispersing was…the country of Vale."

He gasped. "But…how many Djinn are there in total, Master Hama?"

"If I am not mistaken, there are seventy-two djinn."

He couldn't believe his ears. "S…seventy-two?" _Vale is quite a big country, but seventy-two djinn around the place! Oh no…and the date…is it not roughly the same as the date of the party ball?_

* * *

"Are you leaving now, Felix?"

The young man in question only nodded his head in affirmation. Checking himself, he nodded to himself in satisfaction. His long deep brown hair was tied at the end with two golden bands, a few short locks of hair falling across his face. Complete in his suit, it consisted of a dark green shirt, its long sleeves rolled up, followed by a smart belt of the same colour. His trousers were a lighter shade of green-brown, and his brown boots were beautifully polished. Wearing gloves, he checked his bag pack hung beside his belt. Satisfied with it, his hand went out and reached for his own personal sword for protection if necessary, the Excalibur, and sheathed it into the scabbard attached to his back. To top off his clothing, a long dark green scarf was tied to his neck sideways.

Beside him were two young people watching him with slight awe. Both Ivan and Sheba were always with Felix before he went off for some special 'errand' ordered by the higher authorities, wishing their friend farewell and the best of luck. If anyone were to compare the size of Felix with the other two, both blondes would rather be considered as 'midgets', but those small details were unimportant, for Ivan and Sheba were full with words of wisdom, and extremely knowledgeable in many aspects that you could think of.

"So when will you be back?"

Felix paused for a while. "If luck is with me and the rest, we'll be back by three months."

Ivan grinned. "Wow, that's quite a long time. I suppose that's reasonable though, you are going throughout the whole world."

Sheba smiled. "We'll miss you, Felix. Don't forget to take care of yourself out there."

"Sure thing, Sheba."

"What section of the world are you actually going to, Felix?"

"The big country of Prox."

Ivan raised his eyebrows. "Prox…that's rumored to be the hot-headed country, isn't it?"

Felix just shrugged his shoulders in response. "That's why I loaded my weapon; for any protection against any enemy if the need arises."

Sheba frowned. "Prince Isaac sent his regards and best wishes to you. He apologizes for not able to see you because he is- " She stopped midway in her sentence as her green eyes caught the sight of a male running towards them. "Well, to speak of the devil, here he comes now!"

Prince Isaac came up to them, panting slightly as he did so. All the other three bowed as a sign of respect.

"Sorry…I am not too late am I?"

Felix couldn't resist a chuckle. "No, you are just in time, Prince."

"I had something important to discuss with Master Hama earlier on…"

Ivan looked at Isaac with surprise. _With Sister?_

"Wish you all the best in your journeys, Felix." Isaac gave him a friendly hug.

"Thank you, Prince." Felix bowed. "I will go now." And with that, the independent thoughtful young man walked towards his own horse, Silverblaze, waiting patiently for him. Mounting it, Felix spoke a few soothing words to it, and with a neigh from the horse, the two departed from the castle.

Just then, a loud gong could be heard echoing around the castle, startling the other three.

"Breakfast!" Sheba exclaimed delightedly.

Isaac laughed. "To tell you the truth, Sheba, you sounded a little like my godfather when you said that just now. He always does appear more than delighted whenever meals come along."

Young Ivan chuckled. "Then, I take it that your godfather is usually hungry, Prince?"

"You hit the nail on the head, Ivan. For my godfather, he's not that much older than me though."

"Well what are we standing here for? Let's get into the castle for breakfast!"

Laughing together like a group of ordinary friends, they venture forth into their home, their voices carried by the wind.

"So any plans after breakfast, Ivan?"

"I'm not too sure yet, Prince. But maybe Sheba and I will go for meditation practice with my sister. How about it, Sheba?"

"Fine with me. Master Hama is a very nice lady, serene and calm. I enjoy learning under her."

"From what you two say, I am indeed very glad to have reunited you and Master Hama together, Ivan, even though it was purely coincidence."

"Yes, I myself did not know that I had a sister for all the years I spent as an orphan. That I owe you greatly, Prince Isaac. I will certainly repay that debt one day."

"That need not be done, Ivan. You and Sheba being here as my friends is already enough."

"We will try our best to help you any day, Prince Isaac! We promise you this as your loyal friends."

"…Thank you, Ivan, Sheba. Words cannot tell you how grateful I am to both of you."

* * *

Author's Note: Yes, seventh chapter done! Much quicker than the rest, for a good change. D So Isaac still cannot figure his dream out, and here comes a deeper plot on the Djinn! All seventy-two of them will be included, though only very minor. Can the whole ball activity work out with them roaming throughout Vale? I wonder…Oh and I'll be adding slight Windshipping in this story. Mudshipping coming up in the next two or three chapters! Squee!

Next chapter coming up: Centering on Mia: the arrival of the news on the ball to Mia and her stepsisters by Felix himself! How will they all react to it? Poor Mia…

Please read and review!

Thanks a lot to the following people:

Kodoku: I hope updating this fic was fast yet good enough for you…oh yeah and by the way, the name 'kodoku' means solitude in Japanese right?

enigma4ever2020: Yaloh, stupid mistake of me, can't believe it. And yeah, Isaac being an Earth Adept should be feeling quite 'environmental' right? Forget about stepping on the grass. --

GoldenSunGeek: I hope changing the title of this story won't influence other people through the bad way…and I guess the italics were used quite a lot, but hey, that's the only way to say that it isn't real right?

Eruruu: Yay, I'm so glad you're reviewing again! Hope you're pleased with this chapter, and keep reviewing!

Insanity Team! (A.k.a. Violet): Nah, I won't stop this fic for nothing; I'll continue writing as long as some people like it! Hope you'll continue reading!

Princess Viv: Hey Viv! I'm so glad you like my fic; hope you'll like the rest of the incoming chapters as well. I'll try my best to keep up the good work done and meet your expectations! And yes, I'll definitely be adding Jenna and Garet in this fic; you may have caught some hints of Garet already in this chapter. (hint, hint) And I hope adding Kraden and Master Hama was a nice touch; I'll be adding Feizhi soon too. Poor Alex and Piers that got minor roles will probably be in the story again in the later chapters. And I'll stick to Windshipping with you…Hope you'll keep reading and keep in touch always!


	8. Devil's Thoughts Exposed

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

Like I have always said, I do not own Golden Sun, nor do I own the great characters. I'm really running out of ideas now…I know that I'm always just repeating what I say in the earlier chapters.

Thanks a bunch to the following people:

enigma4ever2020: Yes, yes, thanks for telling me of the typo.

sweetmaiden: You'll learn more about the Djinn soon…I hope!

GoldenSunGeek: Yeah, more Windshipping in the future chapters, but it won't be a thorough lot…sorry.

Insanity Team! (A.k.a. Violet): Oh, thanks for telling me what's writer's block. And no, I most probably won't be getting it, since I've already planned roughly the storyline and all that. Thanks for the concern though!

Princess Viv: Viv-neechan! –glomps- Yeah, Garet is probably too young for his role, but I'll explain it in the next chapter that it's all a natural mistake. If you want to know, Jenna is the opposite of Garet. :) Flameshipping coming! So if you work it out, you'll find that all of the GS crew are related either by blood or by friendship. And yes, Felix and Sheba will be brother-sister type relationship. Hope you liked this chapter on Mia, and continue to enjoy reading this fic!

Kodoku: Great! I'm glad the update on the previous chapter was good and fast; guess most authors are quite hooked up with school. I am too, but I plan my time, you could say. –winks- Hope this chapter is good too!

Eruruu: I'm sure everyone feels the excitement and stuff when Isaac and Mia finally meet, that's why I'll really need to concentrate and do my utmost best when it comes to that part, since it can't be an anti-climax to all readers just when the tension has been building up after so many chapters. Hope you'll continue to support this fic!

Kd7sov: Hey, a new reviewer, and I'm honoured and glad you took the time and interest to read this story. Your 'romance pet peeve' is something which I think is quite irking and ridiculous too, so I hope I won't be doing that in the later chapters. And actually I'm not an expert on the Djinn singular and plural pronunciations; I just thought of it as djinni for singular and djinn for plural. Or am I wrong? Please tell me if I am.

One Who Rides On The Wind: Yeah, I guess you can say older brothers rock. Glad to hear you support Windshipping as well!

Now then, on to the story!

* * *

Chapter 8: Devils' Thoughts Exposed

"Be a good boy and wait for me here, Silverblaze. I'll be back soon."

He ran his hand softly over his horse's mane fondly, whispering soft words to the tame animal. The horse neighed softly, pleased with the attention given to him.

Silverblaze's master gave him a last hearty pat before setting off into the town that lay before him. As soon as he reached the gates leading into the town of Prox, he was greeted by his assistant underling.

"Master Felix, our teams have been dispatched successfully into the continents of Angara, Gondowan, Hesperia, Atteka, Indra, Osenia, Izumo and the Apoji Islandsaccording to our respective places. We will perform to the best of our capabilities."

He nodded his head. "I take it for granted that you have sent word to gather once more in Vale after mission accomplished?"

"Yes, as usual."

"Good. You can go; I can handle the town of Prox on my own."

"Yes sir." The underling saluted then departed.

Taking a deep breath, the young man charged with the position of head communication of Vale walked briskly through the streets of Prox. He was aware of the glances and interested looks thrown upon him; for one thing, he was not a Proxian; another, he was obviously a high-classed foreigner. If he knew it, he did not give a second thought to the attention given to him. If there was one thing he was a master at, that would be a master in silence and ignorance.

He walked astutely towards the elder's house; he did not need a tour guide to enlighten him where was it. After all, he had been in Prox once on business…

Upon reaching the doorstep of the elder's house, he knocked on the door politely. He gave a slight start when the elder himself answered his call. The elder looked at him inquiringly, obviously letting the telltale fact that he did not recognize him.

"Yes?"

Felix immediately checked himself at his manners. "Pardon me, Elder. It is not surprising that you naturally do not recognize me, for the last time I visited Prox was some time ago. I am Felix, the head of communication of the kingdom of Vale, sent by the king of Vale himself, His Majesty King Kyle, on an important message to the country of Prox, and other countries as well."

Felix noted with some gratification that the elder was sufficiently impressed with him. "Ah yes, Master Felix, is it not? But do come in, and let us not discuss this in the midst of the chill. Please come in."

Leading the way into the elder's main room, stoic Felix was surprised to see another Proxian sitting beside a low table. He had flaming red hair and clear red eyes to match with. The elder hastened to introduce him.

He waved a hand. "Ah, I believe you have not met Prox's most trusted persons. May I introduce to you, Master Felix, this is Puelle. And Puelle, this young man is…" He was interrupted duly.

"Yes, Elder. I heard you two talking a moment ago. Pleased to meet you, Master Felix."

Felix extended a hand and shook hands with Puelle. "Pleased to make your acquaintance too, Master--"

"Puelle. Just call me by Puelle, if you will."

"Very well, Puelle."

Settling down on a brown chair like the other two Proxians, Felix hastened to explain the whole ordeal. "His Majesty King Kyle's only son, Prince Isaac, is turning twenty-four in a few months time, and the royal family has decided in holding a party ball in the castle of Vale itself, dedicated to all the women all over the world, as a way to find a suitable suitor for the prince. All ladies are invited to the respective event."

The elder nodded his head thoughtfully. "I see…then, you yourself are sent here, to Prox, to inform us of this?"

"Yes. I would definitely appreciate it very much if you could lend me some help in distributing the invitation, Elder. Of course, I shall share the amount of duties too in this town."

Puelle smiled. "We will certainly be glad to aid you in any way, Master Felix. We will send twenty messengers to give out the invitations to all houses immediately."

The elder followed suit. "Yes, yes. But there is no need for you, Master Felix, to share the duties. You have informed us, and it is now our job and responsibility to inform everyone of it. Please rest in the inn, for I am sure you have had a long trip to Prox, and you will find that the innkeeper will gladly give you a comfortable room for free of charge. The town of Prox always welcomes visitors warmly."

"Thank you very much for your kind offer, but I feel that I must also do my part as a messenger like the rest of my team, even though I am of higher ranking."

"Very well then, if you insist. But I must insist that you do only a very small portion of it, and rest as soon as night sets, Master Felix."

The person in question rose and once again shook hands with both Proxians. "Then I shall accept your terms too. Thank you, Elder. I will go now and inform the first row of houses I set my eyes upon, then I shall enjoy the coming night in the inn. I shall set off in the early morning." He walked towards the door and turned back. "It has been a pleasure to talk with you. I place my trust in your hands."

"Your trust shall not be deceived. Godspeed, and may we meet again in the future, Master Felix."

Felix closed the door noiselessly, and departed.

Moments later, the Elder and Puelle looked at each other.

"A remarkable young man, that."

"Yes, he is the quiet, thoughtful and secretive type. But I imagine very reliable and trustable."

"Well then, let us not waste anymore time. Duties placed upon us must not be delayed."

"I thoroughly agree. We can ask Saturos and Agatio to gather more men to deliver the message."

"I too, think it would be a wise course of action not to send any woman on this errand. Just a precaution."

"Yes…I guess you are right in that."

* * *

Felix looked around to start his main job. Organising the town's main structure of buildings, his mind efficiently sort them out all in order and method. Nodding his head, he started for the first row of houses on his left. _Now for the real thing._

* * *

She looked out from the small opened window feelingly as she stared at the townspeople walking, bustling by, occupied with their own actions much more than to stop by and talk to each other. It was a chilly day; and when the chill arrived along came a heavy draught, the winds blowing furiously. Her own sky-blue hair flew with the wind, the hair soft like pure cotton and shiny like silk

"You don't mind the chill, do you?"

Her gaze shifted over to her companion beside her. Looking inquiringly at her, the companion of small build leaped on the windowsill.

"Why do you say that, Fizz?"

Fizz's blue eyes at a glance were purely blank. Not so much as she smiled with her mouth (for Djinn had no mouths), but an observant looker would notice that for a moment the eyes seemed to glow with a tint of cheerfulness and glee as to when a person smiles truly.

"From what I can see, you seem to be enjoying it, not bothered at all like most people would."

She laughed softly. "Yes, I do admit that I do quite like it, though for some odd reason I cannot understand myself. Do you like the climate as it is now?"

"Fine with me. I don't really mind how hot or cold it is."

"Now what in Mars are you babbling about, stupid girl?"

A harsh voice interrupted their conversation. Mia whirled around and hid Fizz with her body. Seeing her elder stepsister by the name of Menardi looking at her with spite at the tip of the stairs, all of her smiles vanished at once.

"Nothing really, stepsister. I was just speaking to myself."

Menardi snorted. "Hmph, I seriously doubt it. You really must be plain crazy by now, to speak to yourself! Driven to cinders and ashes like what happens when you sometimes go to the fireplace and sit in the ashes maybe? CinderMia is indeed the most suitable name ever fitted for you!"

Mia pursed her lips, letting Menardi rattle on about her. This was by no means the first time, oh no, definitely not. She had probably heard this about a thousand times now. She knew Menardi well all right. She knew better than to even object the slightest at her words. The first time she had replied in the most calming tone, two hard slaps was administered to her as her 'medicine' immediately.

Sure enough, Menardi soon got to her point. "Bah, here I am, wasting my time at you! Have you forgotten your daily duties after so long in this house? Go downstairs immediately and sweep the fireplace! And my mother demands not to see a speck of dust on it!"

Mia walked away from her position beside the window. As she passed Menardi glaring at her angrily, she could not help murmuring mockingly in her breath, just loud enough for herself to hear, and not her evil stepsister beside her. "Yes, Ma'am."

Walking down to the beautifully clean kitchens, Mia took a large broom and headed for the fireplace situated in the living room. _Time to get dirty. Sigh…if only I have an apron, then it won't be so bad…I don't even have a cloth to cover my hair._

Before she could start sweeping and get her clothes dirty, a knock sounded on the door, startling the aqua-haired young woman.

"Get it, servant!" A voice yelled out from the back, presumably Karst, her younger stepsister or her stepmother.

Checking herself for suitable presentation to whoever it was, Mia noted duly that she was at least clean enough. Her daily dress was what she always wore; a long light brown dress with short sleeves with many evident holes which had been patched neatly. She looked neat but poor. _A beggar, that's what I am. _

Sighing once more, she rushed to the front oak door and opened it.

* * *

The young man sighed as he walked towards the next house. The last houses were nothing short of uninteresting. He saw and noticed the same expression, the same delight, the same excitement expressed by all the women he saw when he related the invitation. They were all the same. Prince Isaac, he mused, was indeed very well known all over the world especially to the opposite sex. He felt so monotonous saying the same thing, same words. Almost as if he was just a talking male robot…with so many interested glances thrown by the ladies. He could see clearly that they thought him what they called 'a cute chick'. 

He stopped by a big and neat house, his steps coming to a halt. Here by he took a second interested glance unlike the past houses which he found quite a bore to his stolid self. _Probably one of those rich people. _

Bracing himself for the next ordeal, Felix walked towards the doorstep and knocked lightly.

* * *

Mia opened the door. Her clear blue eyes immediately told her that this person was by no means a Proxian, and that he seemed to possess an air of finality to her. She looked inquiringly at him. 

"Yes?"

He bowed as a courtesy. "Pardon me. I am Master Felix, the head of communication of the kingdom of Vale, representing the king of Vale, King Kyle. His Majesty is pleased to inform that all ladies are invited to attend a party ball in the castle of Vale in two months time, as a way to choose a suitable suitor for his only son, Prince Isaac."

Mia held her breath. She did not know much about the outside world, but she knew slightly about the prince of Vale whom they call Prince Isaac. She had heard many chattering about him; many young women labeled him as the handsomest and most desirable man in the whole world. She often wondered about that statement though; to her, there were millions and millions of men, how could they tell as simply as that? And now, he's looking for a bride…

"Oh…thank you…"

"Your mistresses and your attendance are greatly appreciated. Thank you."

Felix stole another glance at the girl whom he considered as a local servant from her clothes. Yet, she did not seem to him like one…as if the word of 'servant' did not match the person before him.

Shaking off the thought, he left and proceeded to the next house.

* * *

Mia stared after the dark brown-haired man as he left. She was suddenly struck by his words. 

"_Your mistresses and your attendance are greatly appreciated. Thank you."_

_My…mistresses? He said it so normally…. So he too thinks that I am nothing but a servant…how clothes do affect people's impression at first glance!_

"Who was that?"

Her stepmother appeared from the kitchen.

Mia hastened to explain. "Oh, stepmother. The man who came declared himself to be the…" she paused for a while, struggling to get the words said earlier. "…The head of communication of Vale from the continent of Angara, something like that. He said that the King would be holding a party ball for all ladies in two months time to look for a suitable bride for his only son, the prince."

As soon as Merlina heard that, her red cat-like eyes glinted as if up to some sort of trick. "Aha! Vale's prince, Prince Isaac, is it not? My daughters, Menardi! Karst! Come here at once!"

The two sisters appeared from the stairs leading to their rooms. "Yes mother?"

"A party ball will be held in the next two months in Vale to look for a suitable bride for Vale's prince. What do you think of that, my two daughters?"

Menardi and Karst gaped. Not that they considered Prince Isaac as their 'dream man', but that the three female Proxians in that house knew of Vale's power and influence all over the rest of the continents. Everyone knew that anyone who got in linked with the King or Queen would be most definitely rich and powerful.

"Mother, is this true?"

"She says so. I do not believe that she will lie to me after all these years in this house." Merlina indicated to Mia standing in a corner of the room.

Menardi nodded thoughtfully. Her quick and sharp brain sorted out all of the possibilities and results that they could get, but only if they were to be chosen as the one and only bride…with her mother, Karst and her, the percentage of it was too low like a needle in a haystack. But after all, everything seemed to her like a gamble, and Menardi was quick in the take-and-hide business.

Karst looked at Mia spitefully. "What are you still doing there? Didn't we tell you to sweep the fireplace? Standing there like a dumb nut!"

Mia hurriedly picked up the broom that she left leaning by the wall, went to the dirty fireplace and started sweeping. Her curious mind went over her stepsisters and her stepmother's reactions. They did not seem excited as a candidate for the prince's bride, but of something else, something deeper than that which she couldn't help but wonder. _One would think they were trying to think out of a plan to queen about with money or something like that…_

From the side of her eye she saw Merlina give a barely noticeable nod to her two young daughters. Whatever she tried to convey through that nod the two sisters apparently understood perfectly and looked at each other.

"That's that, then. Have fun cleaning the fireplace, dear CinderMia!" Karst snubbed her, malice in her tone.

The young woman just ignored that statement and resumed her current job, busying herself with endless jobs for the rest of the day until night fell.

* * *

She tossed and tossed around in her bed, feeling restless and wide-awake. Sleep did not overcome her like all the rest of the night, despite her being tired. The cold air blew in strongly from the window that could never close. Somehow, she felt disturbed. The incident earlier on the morning still remained a question in her mind. 

_Hmm…Prince Isaac…I wonder how does he look like…some princes that I know are just so bossy and proud…I shouldn't form a bad impression on him though, since I've never seen him yet. I wonder whether we will go to Vale to attend this party ball…I'm sure Menardi and Karst would like to go though. But…why, why did they seem so secretive? As if…_

"Mia? Are you okay?"

Mia turned to her left on the bed. Patting Fizz on the head gently, she smiled apologetically. "Yeah, I'm all right. I'm sorry if I woke you up from your sleep."

"Something wrong, Mia? You seem restless. Is it because of what you told me about this ball thing?"

Mia smiled. "Sort of. I'm just curious as to what my stepfamily is planning; they seemed so unusual today. They act as if--"

"Sshh!" Fizz swung her tail as the Mercury djinni whispered. "I hear voices below."

The aquamarine-haired girl's eyes widened. Pulling the flimsy thin bed sheet away from her body, she sat up in her bed quietly and listened. To her mere astonishment she heard faint murmurs of voices from the floor below. Just then the grandfather clock in the house rang twelve times, echoing throughout the whole house in the silence of the deadly night.

"But is it already midnight! No one in this town of Prox is still up by midnight; all of them retire to bed early every night! How can this be…"

Fizz sighed, and then set her chin resolutely with a mischievous look. "Sounds like your stepfamily decided to sleep late for today then. How about hearing what they're saying? After all, it must be something very important until they have to speak of it in the late night, which most probably means that they don't want you or anyone else to listen. Sounds to me that all the more we must get up and listen."

Mia looked at Fizz with mild reproach. "You don't say the actual word since it sounds bad, but we will be eavesdropping if we listen to their conversation, Fizz. It's against my policy to do that—"

"You don't want them doing bad things behind your back, do you? Worst still if they're planning something bad about you! I know you're feeling curious too."

"I…" _Should I, or should I not? Just this one time…should I?_

Fizz hopped on her shoulder and spoke firmly. "Look here Mia, I've seen them treating you like rubbish for so long, and I'm not going to let more of that happen and see you get hurt. I may sound harsh, but I'm speaking the truth. If you're not going to listen to them, I will, so might as well you listen for yourself."

Mia sighed. Fizz was undoubtedly determined when she reached a final decision. "A…all right, just this one time."

Her close friend immediately cheered up. "Great!" Hopping to the floor, she looked around. "I still can hear them talking. Maybe if we place our ears to the floor we can listen to them. Looks as if they're talking in your stepmother's room, since it's directly below the attic."

Mia nodded. Bending herself on the floor noiselessly as not to attract attention, she placed her right ear to the floor. As though immediately the murmurs became recognizable words. It was no longer a doubt that her stepmother and her two stepsisters were conversing in low tones. She immediately gasped when she heard the first two sentences she caught.

* * *

"So let me get this clear. We'll take up this golden opportunity to try to get into Vale's kingdom by becoming the bride, which means we'll be in most desirable power. Is that what you are saying, mother?" 

Merlina, Menardi and Karst were sitting on the big bed; their mother in between the two sisters huddled up together.

"That's right my daughter. This is the only time we can ever get so close to winning power, fame and glory, not to say immensely rich! We will be famous; power is everything that we need and want! We must not fail in this one. You understand, Menardi, Karst?" She looked grim.

"Yes." Both sisters chorused.

Menardi licked her dry lips. "Hmph, I cannot imagine why so many women fall for that prince…but how can we make sure that one of us will be chosen as the bride, mother? There will be thousands of women attending the party ball, eager to win the prince's heart! How can we not fail?"

Merlina smiled evilly. "My dears, the answer to that lies in your friend."

Menardi cocked her head. "My friend? You mean Saturos?"

"Yes, that is correct. Saturos is one of the cleverest Proxians in this town. With Karst and your help, you three will concoct up a potion by the name of 'Death Potion'."

"Death Potion?" Karst echoed her words.

"Yes. The potion does not actually cause death unlike its name, but once drank by a person, he or she will be in a semi-conscious state, easily manipulated and hypnotized. It is as if he or she is drunk, but even more than that. The word 'death' comes in, for when that person is manipulated, anything can happen, and most of the timesyou find yourself no longer alive after drinking it,and so it resembles death."

Menardi nodded her head slowly. Her eyes glinted. "I see it clearly. What other way simpler than to slip a dose of the 'Death Potion' into the prince's cup without anyone noticing, then to induce him to make one of us as his bride?"

Karst added in. "And in that time we ask him to sign a contract to seal it, then he cannot object later on when he regains his normal senses as much as he is against it. The contract shall not leave a curious mark on him at that time, since contracts are often familiar with the high-class society." She laughed shrilly. "And our dear prince can never ask for a divorce or any of that sort, since there is a special rule made for Vale that claims that divorces between the royal families are not allowed. Hmph, when I was smaller I used to wonder who and why that stupid rule was made, such stupidity and idiocy! But now it is an advantage to us."

Merlina laughed. "How clever my daughters are! The perfect plan; there most not be a single flaw. I shall give you the 'recipe' to make the potion, Menardi. Find the ingredients needed; they can be easily found in the wild near Prox. Make and finish it by tomorrow evening, then we will leave for Vale the next morning by the big ship that comes every month. We can easily rent rooms for us once we step in the big inn of Vale."

"All shall be done in time, mother."

"How about our dear 'servant', mother? Shall we leave her here to keep safe housekeeping or bring her along?"

Merlina rubbed her chin frowning. "I detest that girl, the stupid innocent girl! I do not think it is a wise action to leave her here, for she can easily destroy our home belongings and run away. No, I think it will be easier and better for her to tag along. We will pile all of our baggage on her, and order her around. We can keep an eye on that snobbish girl and make sure she does not do anything disastrous to us. I do not think she will dare to even do anything to us, but it is always best to take precautions first."

Karst snorted. "Hmph, I'll enjoy torturing her the whole time. Rags and pieces of clothes she wears as a servant, yet she does not act like one! She can keep and wear it for the rest of her whole miserable life; I won't even give a care to present her with my oldest clothes."

"Good, then all is settled. If we succeed, then we will be one of the most famous people by the end of the year!" She laughed shrilly.

"It is now past midnight; we should go to bed. Goodnight, mother." Menardi and Karst rose.

"Goodnight, my dear daughters."

* * *

Mia gasped, her eyes full with shock. She had heard and listened every word, and she simply could not believe her own ears. 

"Gosh, I must say your stepfamily are really bad 'uns, Mia. Planning to cheat the prince and get wealth and power! Just like the typical bad people you'll find." Fizz spoke in a hushed excited whisper.

The girl looked at Fizz bewilderedly, still crouching on the floor. "I…I didn't hear wrong, did I? They…"

"Yes, unfortunately you did hear correctly. They're planning to trick the whole bunch of the royal family by using dirty tricks. Those are the kind of people that you're living with for the past few years, and this is their real personality; no fakery, no cover masks anymore behind your back." The djinni shook her head in pity.

Mia covered her mouth with horror. _All these years…I have been living with such people? Oh god…to be so cruel…the poor prince's life will be utterly destroyed by them, just like mine…but others, especially a person like him who has so much to live for…_

Fizz looked at her much bigger companion, and patted her with her tail, ribbon tied to it. "Now Mia, I know it's very distressful and stuff, but really, now that your 'real' stepfamily has been exposed truly, you have to face right up to them. This horrible plan that they are concocting up only you and I know of it's secret, no one else. That means that it's only up to us two to break and destroy their plan before the poor prince gets hooked up with them and his life turned upside-down. You get me Mia?"

Mia shot curious but scared looks at her. "I know all that…but how am I supposed to stop them? I won't be even going to the ball, I won't even get the chance to see the prince to alarm him of it!" She hissed in despair, getting up to sit once more on her bed.

Fizz eyed the poorly dressed girl in front of her. "No, I guess you can't hope on that." She brightened up and cheered the worried young woman with strong brave words. "But don't worry, we'll get through somehow and pass the message. You've still got me; we'll work in this together and make pretty sure your villainy stepfamily doesn't get the chance to play around with titles! I'll protect you if they try to hurt you, so don't fret all right? Pull yourself together and brace up!"

The words uttered out worked like magic to Mia. Her frowns ceased, and she regained her normal composure, if not her clenched hands still slight shaking, showing her continuous anxiety on the prince's safety. "Yes, yes, you're right. I must not let others suffer because of them. I can't let them win this dangerous bet. I'll find help somehow, somewhere. You'll help me right?"

Fizz grinned. "You bet I will! I'll always be in the same boat as you. And speaking of boats, I'll follow you to Vale too; but you better pack me as part of your 'baggage' in your trunk so as not to attract attention."

Mia looked quizzically at her. "Are you sure you won't feel uncomfortable? In case you're hungry, I'll pack some biscuits inside for you to eat in advance before we set off in the ship for Vale. I feel quite excited really; I've never really traveled across the sea many times."

"Gee, thanks a lot, Mia. I'd like that a lot."

Mia smiled serenely, then her mouthed opened and she let out a stifled yawn. "Sorry…"

Fizz hopped into bed. "Nah, it's okay. I'm sleepy too. Let's discuss more about it when we're free and alone next time, all right? At that time we'll make our own plans; two can play at one game. For now, all I can think of is sleep and sleep."

Mia chuckled. "Thank you, Fizz. You're the greatest friend I could ever have. Good night; sleep tight!"

"Mmm…you bet I will. Good night Mia."

* * *

When the sun arose the next morning, Mia got up from her bed at five in the early morning though slightly tired from the few hours of sleep. She was hardly surprised at all when she saw Menardi and Karst already up when the clock struck six. They had a quick breakfast, surprisingly ignored Mia, and left the house on an errand, or so they roughly said to her. 

_But I know better than that._

When Merlina walked demurely down the steps towards the kitchen, Mia served her a late breakfast. Merlina said nothing, but thought and thought to herself.

It was the most silent and peaceful morning Mia had ever faced lately, without the words of threat and anger directed to her. The house was quiet. Merlina was purely occupied with her own thoughts, and Mia, she observed her stepmother carefully and thought about her own plans too.

"After completing your daily jobs, pack your bags and things that you only need, stupid girl. We're leaving for Vale tomorrow morning. Be quick about it."

Mia hardly raised an eyebrow.

* * *

Author's Note: Yep, chapter 8 completed! Hope I'm updating at a faster rate now.;) Read and review!

I hope the storyline is not progressing at too slow for readers, since probably most are waiting for the actual party ball (Mudshipping hot on the trail!). And about the plan for Menardi and Karst tricking Isaac, hopefully it's not too cheesy and pathetic. After all, you can't expect someone like Isaac to actually LIKE Menardi or Karst at all, and I'm sure Menardi and Karst hate Isaac as also shown in the game, so here's my explanation of why they want to be the 'bride': power, something which I believe sort of suit them.

On a side note, I just may be including a few battles with the help of Psynergy and Djinn; but I'm not too sure about it yet. If you have any comments, feel free to suggest further, I'll gladly listen and hear it.

Incoming next chapter: Mia and company reach Vale! Wow, a really crowded place…just for the prince? Or…because of the seventy-two incoming Djinn?


	9. New Friends, The Thirteenth Night!

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

Let's just pass the disclaimer this time, alright? Yeah, this chapter took longer time to update, but really school's getting on me again, so hopefully this chapter is still good.

I'm not too sure, but there has been some rumour or something that says that review responses aren't allowed, since it does add to the number of words or something like that. But seriously, I don't really think it from that way; I find the necessity to reply back to the reviewers and show my sincerest appreciation and thank-you for their comments. So thank you to the following reviewers:

Kodoku: Yeah, the ball is the climax! I can't afford to let that part down and disappoint the readers…I'll really need to pull it off nicely.

sweetmaiden: Oo, I just made out another Mudshipper!

GoldenSunGeek: Yeah, the battles would be interesting, but I'm not really sure on how to do it…how about some Adepts, Psynergies and Summons?

Princess Viv: Viv-neechan! –glomps again- I'm so glad to hear from you that everything in general is increasing for the better; hopefully this chapter doesn't rate it down! I've introduced a few more Djinn, and more stuff about Adepts, so maybe it'll make the plot more interesting. Oh, and the Mudshipping added in here is dedicated to all Mudshippers, but add an extra special dedication to you…hope you enjoy and like it even more!

Kd7sov: No, the 'Death Potion' is not some part from Snow White. In fact, you mentioning it just stroke me as some slight similarity to it. Hopefully this continuation is still good enough!

Spastic Djinn: A new reviewer! –jumps around- Um, in case you're reading this, then the title means something like this: Reality refers to the Golden Sun characters and places according to the actual game; where as Non-reality refers to the main plot and storyline of Cinderella, the genre and such. So what happens when reality and non-reality are tied together? This is what you get, the Golden Sun version of Cinderella! Hope that clears up any confusion you have about the title. Hope you'll continue reading this fic; oh and thanks for giving this fic such a high rating (in my opinion)!

enigma4ever2020: Cute chick? That was meant for Felix. If you see any other typos again next time when you read, please just write it down or something then post it in the review so that I know exactly which one.

Insanity Team! (A.k.a. Violet): Lol…thanks for your continuous excited supports!

One Who Rides On The Wind: Yeah, I wanted to pass the message on how tiring and monotonous a messenger's work must be to the readers, but not that I exactly know how they feel; it's an interesting impression to include.

* * *

Chapter 9: New Friends, The Thirteenth Night!

"Felix!"

The dark-haired man was immediately surrounded by two young people as Ivan and Sheba welcomed their long-awaited friend eagerly with anticipation. They greeted him warmly as they followed him to the stable where he stabled his trusty horse. His mouth end twisted into a tiny curl of a smile as he stepped into the stables. Realization dawned upon him that he was finally back in the castle, back to his home.

"How was the journey?"

"So-so. The message went through to everyone all right."

The female blonde gazed at Felix with much concern one might have looked at an older brother. "You must be tired, Felix. You should take a nice, hot bath and get some good sleep. You do not look as if you have been sleeping well."

He nodded his head in agreement. He did feel tired lately…"Has anything big happened here while I was away?"

Sheba's male counterpart answered. "Nothing really special happened. All of the arrangement for the party ball is done. It will be held exactly two weeks from now. For the mean time, Vale is probably the most popular city people are heading to. This party ball has really got the women worked up like whirring mad clocks. The sea docks are expected to be laden and full with many passengers disembarking from ships all over the world soon. I guess the innkeepers and such will take advantage of this and have a big amount of business this next few months, don't you think so?"

Sheba chuckled. "They'll certainly have their hands full with work. Goodness knows how hysterical some women are about our young prince!"

Felix raised his eyebrows. "Speaking of the prince, where is he?"

Ivan frowned. "Now that's a good question I would like to ask too. I've not seen him since breakfast this morning. I was hoping you would see a glance of him at least."

"You shouldn't worry too much about Prince Isaac, Ivan. After all, he is fond of walks around the castle. Sometimes he even takes a hearty walk around the town in disguise so as not to be recognized by the townspeople! Don't you remember that incident where we could not find him for several hours, and that he returned later in the evening with the excuse that he was out in town looking around?"

Felix frowned. "The young master should not make it a habit to do that. If anything should happen and if the prince were to be assaulted—"

"The prince would most definitely give them a good whacking without getting a single scratch on him. Don't forget that our young prince of Vale is excellent in the fields of swordsmanship." Sheba laughed.

"That is true, but still, he should not take too many chances. Worst still, now is the time where the sand flies around in the air. The weather is very windy and sandy. The strong winds that blow furiously will cause the heavy amount of sand to rise from the ground and fly around. Anyone who does not wear protection against the hurting sands will be exposed to the dangerous possibility of the eyes hurt, or even in the most vital cases, blind."

Sheba shook her head. "True, the prince is taking a risk here. I presume he wants to see the world outside the castle though. But at least the hooded cape that he always wears as his disguise will not be a noticeable question mark among the townspeople now, since everyone is most probably wearing the same thing."

Felix chuckled. "Wherever His Highness is, let us just hope that he is safe from head to toe, and comes back in time for lunch."

* * *

Mia stepped on the docks of Vale, the greatest and main city of the whole continent of Angara, dressed in her holey clothing covered by a big hooded cape. Pulling the wind biting into her skin, she quickly pulled the flying cape towards her body in an effort to cover and warm her, not to say at the same time to hid her poor beggar clothes. Hesitantly pulling her hood further to hid her face, she glanced towards the hurrying busy townspeople with curious interest, all of them wearing the same as her, a hooded cape to cover them from the winds. She would definitely not be able to recognize anyone or even see his or her face due to the covering hood. 

A feeling of excitement crept to her heart deep inside; after all, ever since she was small, she wanted to visit the city of Vale at least once, and see with her own eyes the magnificent of the happy town. And here she was; her dream fulfilled, but in a much different situation than she originally hoped for…

"Hey you, stop dreaming already and get our bags! We don't want to wait all day just for you!"

The cerulean-haired girl quickly complied from the order given as she stepped forward and claimed all of her stepfamily's baggage. Her own small bag was easily slung over her shoulder, since she had not much clothes and personal belongings to bring along. She had problems getting her stepfamily's baggage though; many other people from Prox, as well as other unknown countries, had arrived from different ships and steamers almost at the same time, thus causing the dock to be fully filled and packed. She was shoved and pushed here and there as many rough passengers rushed to claim their own belongings from the port.

After a good ten minutes of shoving and pushing, she finally managed to reach out for their baggage. Deeply contrasting from her own belongings, her two stepsisters especially had a large bag each. Sweat and perspiration rolled down her forehead from the strain and heat under the hot sun. "All of our baggage is here."

Her stepmother and two stepsisters just stood aside of her, the three of them wearing a nice shade of red and maroon hooded cape each. None of them bothered or cared enough to step forward and offer to help carry the bags. Finally Menardi stepped forward and roughly snatched her mother's bag from the poor young woman. "I'll prefer to carry my own mother's bag, thank you."

"Mother, perhaps we should not let her mix with us in the crowd as we move along. People who stare at her clothing will think us to be poor beggars. Our real bags are inside your bag after all; those bags only contain unimportant minor things, easily replaced." Karst whispered to Merlina softly.

Merlina nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, you're right. I do not think she will dare to lose anything." Hailing towards the stumbling girl, Merlina barked out a sharp order. "We three will move ahead to the inn first. I expect you to be there after us, complete with the bags, nothing missing. Make sure nothing will be lost; or you will pay for it dearly, stupid girl."

Menardi gave Mia a full smirk before going after Merlina and Karst. The three of them set off for the local inn, with not a care to the young girl. Mia was having a hard time carrying all of that baggage piled on her. Even though she had developed a few muscles over the years working as a full-day busy servant in the house, those heavy-laden bags were still much too heavy for her to cope with.

_What kind of things do they put inside their bags? Sometimes I really think they purposely place heavy stones inside their bags just to annoy me and make my job so much harder than it already is. And now they leave me here stranded out of nowhere…I don't know the places here! Sigh…guess I'll just have to wander around the city; the inn can't be far away. What kind of stepfamily do I have?_

She sighed and tried to carry Menardi's bag with her left hand, and Karst's with the other free hand. Her own bag was perhaps not heavy and a burden to her, but all the same, it still contained some weight, and thus even weigh down her load even more. An irritated sigh escaped her lips as she tried to balance herself with the heavy bags. Stepping forward into the busy crowd, she immediately found herself being pushed and shoved again. She resolutely pushed along, gaining steps as she wandered around the lively town, gazing interestedly at the buildings around her. She felt so hot; her hands were already feeling slightly tired and strained from the burden that she carried.

Suddenly, she felt a rough push behind her. Losing her balance momentarily, Mia tried to regain solid ground on her feet as her strained hand still held on to the bags. Unfortunately for her, what Mia might have considered as solid ground was actually several small blocks of stones in front of her. Tripping on her legs, she gave out an unintentional yelp of fright as she felt herself falling to the ground.

_Oh crap!_

She closed her eyes tightly as she awaited the moment where her body would fall to the floor shamefully. A thump, or perhaps a 'plop' sound when she touched the ground heavily?

But that Mia never got to know. She opened her eyes half-fearfully, half-bewilderedly.

Her eyes told her that she was staring directly close at a dark brown cape. Her ears heard distinct breathing above her. Her skin felt two arms circling her waist tightly. The voice, so gentle and caring…speaking to her…

"Are you all right, my lady?"

Fixing her blue curious eyes on her saver, she found a pair of matching beautiful cerulean eyes looking back at her with concern evidently in it. Those eyes were the only things that she saw, for the rest was covered by the hood that the mysterious stranger wore. Somehow, she could not recognize them, but..._where have I seen those eyes? They seem sort of familiar to me in an odd way, but I can't somehow place it…_

Shaking her head in order to exit from her disturbing thoughts, she began to notice more of her surroundings, and she finally noticed that she was in an embrace, in the arms of the stranger. A deep blush crept up her cheeks as a jolt of adrenaline coursed through her. _Why…why do I feel so excited and happy? So_..._warm_..._I feel as though I'm so safe and protected_..._but he's just an ordinary stranger! Yet my heart is thumping like crazy…fluttering wildly…I_...

The stranger apparently must have seen the blush, for he quickly loosened his hold on her, released his wrapping arms and took hold of her hands as he helped to steady her on her feet. "Are you all right?"

Strangely enough, Mia could not help but to feel a slight disappointment and an unusual sense of emptiness when he pulled away. Nevertheless, she dismissed that thought as she pulled her cape around her tightly. "Oh…yes, I'm fine." She looked up at the stranger with sincere gratitude. "Thank you so much for saving me, Sir—oh I'm so sorry, but I don't know your name…" She trailed off uncertainly.

The stranger looked amused, but then his body somewhat stiffened unconsciously at her statement. "Uh…my name…" Surprisingly he seemed unsure, but before he or Mia could say anything further, another voice interrupted them.

"These your bags, lady?"

Mia turned around in surprise. She caught another male figure wearing a maroon cape with a low hood covering the back of his head. What appeared extremely odd to her was that his red flaming hair was spiking up, and that it did not pipe down even under the hood. The spiky hair did not look as if it was gelled either, looking most natural. Her eyes trailed to his outstretched arms which held two familiar bags. Her eyes widened.

"Ah, the bags!" She cried out thankfully.

The red-haired guy laughed. "You're lucky we came by here, lady. You were seriously going to land quite heavily on the rough ground. Luckily my friend here was able to hold on to you, eh?"

Mia smiled. "For strangers, you two sure are being extremely friendly and nice towards someone you don't know."

The mysterious stranger chuckled. "May I say that you, my lady, behave the same as us too."

The redhead extended a hand. "Well anyway, introductions first. My name's Garet. Pleased to meet you, er--"

"Mia. I'm Mia." She shook hands with him.

"Yeah, pleased to meet you Mia. What are you doing here carrying so much stuff all by yourself anyway?"

"Well, actually I'm looking for the local inn. Do you mind directing me to it?"

Garet himself beamed. "Yeah, sure! I'll be happy to carry your bags for you!"

Garet's companion bowed. "It will be a pleasure to escort you to the inn, Lady Mia. Nothing is ever so pleasurable as to aid a young lady like you."

Mia flushed slightly. "Please, just call me Mia. I'm not really too used to being addressed so highly." _I feel…happy…why this sudden sweet feeling of intoxication? I barely know these two…and yet I feel as if I've known them for so long…_

"But if you are not used to being addressed so highly, then I may also claim that I am not used to address young ladies without their rightful title, Lady Mia." His blue eyes twinkled. "The inn is just nearby. Let us not stand here until night falls, and move on."

The three of them, Mia between the two young men, walked slowly amidst the packed crowd as they led her on the way to the inn. They got along well surprisingly; chatting as if they were none other than long lost close friends finally reunited after a period of time.

"What is your purpose in visiting Vale, Lady Mia?" The blue-eyed man inquired politely.

"Oh, me and my stepfamily came here to attend the party ball that will be held in the castle in the coming two weeks. At least, my stepmother and stepsisters are going." She noticed somewhat with a curious look from the corner of her eye that her 'saviour' raised an inquisitive eyebrow in following to her casual response.

"For Prince Isaac to choose a suitable bride, isn't it?" Garet chirped in, throwing interested glances at Mia.

"Yes. I do not think I will be going though…"

"And why is that, Lady Mia?"

Mia's expression saddened. "Well, for one thing, I don't have any suitable dresses to go into, and another, I am sure my stepfamily will not allow me."

"But why not? And if your stepfamily is here, then why are they not with you, helping you to carry the bags?" Garet blurted out.

"I am nothing to them but a servant paid for." Saying so bitterly, she looked down at her one and only pair of shoes, reminiscing her sad past. "I was once happy with my own family in Imil, but my mother passed away due to pneumonia. After my father married again in Prox, he went away and was never heard of again. Ever since then, my life has been one of a servant, serving for my unkind stepfamily." A tear escaped her sad aquamarine eyes. _Do I really deserve this kind of past, present and future, or have I done something bad in the pasts?_

The blue-eyed stranger was startled when his eyes caught the running tear. Stepping in front of her, he gallantly reached out a finger to wipe her tear as he soothingly tried to calm her. "Please don't cry, Lady Mia. If anything bad happens, you can always speak to us, even though we are just mere by-passers. We will do our best to aid you when you are in trouble, for that is what friends do."

Mia stared once more into the stranger's eyes. Those wide blue, cornflower eyes…possessing some kind of unknown nameless power to draw her in…_so mesmerizing… _She forcibly pulled her gaze away from them and looked at her shoes with somewhat unduly fake interest.

"Yeah, that's right! If your stepfamily dares to do anything cruel to you again, just give us a call and we'll help you right away!" Garet shook a determined fist. "I'll show them a good bang, that's what they need!"

Mia could not resist the urge to laugh out. "Oh please, if you do that you'll just get yourself into trouble." She sobered up immediately. "I have been foolish to relate all of my troubles to you two; it is not of your concern to know and worry about my life, just by saving me I have already poured all of my feelings out! I really apologize to have burdened you unnecessarily with my problems."

Garet frowned. "Hey wait a minute, we don't mind listening and lending a hand to help you out!" He suddenly stopped in his steps as his brownish eyes caught a building structure. "And speaking of your destination, here's the inn that you've been looking for!"

She looked up and saw a surprisingly big comfortable building with those three welcoming letters. Her heart leaped. _Finally! _"Oh yes!" Her face lighted. "Now please forget everything that I have said, and everything that has happened. But thank you so much anyway for lending an ear to my babbles." She smiled serenely and held out her hands for the bags. Seeing that he could do nothing else, Garet hesitatingly gave her rightful possessions back.

"Very well, Lady Mia, if that is what you wish us to do, then I cannot say anything to change your mind further." The stranger uttered a low sigh before he bowed, his voice laced with genuine regret; something the young woman could not help but notice clearly. Grasping her right hand gently, he placed a light kiss on her hand, emitting a light blush on her cheeks once more. "I hope our paths will cross again soon. Farewell, my lady."

"Well, guess this is goodbye for us. Don't forget to call for us if you need any help! We still might be strangers to each other, but we're friends, right Mia?"

"Yes, thank you, Garet. Farewell!"

With the bags in hand, Mia walked towards the front door of her destination, but not before taking another glance at her two new friends. Her eyes rested especially on the blue-eyed stranger; those mesmerizing eyes…she would never forget those kind eyes…those eyes that were so much like her own…

She walked away, her cape flying behind her.

"Hmm…so what do you think of her? Pretty, isn't she?"

The blue-eyed stranger rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Yes, she is beautiful, but sadly she is much drained. That I can tell from her sad eyes. She is an interesting young woman, that."

Garet raised his eyebrows mischievously. "You mean you're interested in her, aren't you? I could see that during that short period of time. She also seemed quite interested in you too. Didn't you notice the blush and stuff when you held her?"

"Yes, that I did. Well…I am not too sure…but there was something in her that seemed to draw me with much interest. The lovely, kind lady…it is a great pity I may not see her in the coming ball. I wish to see her again at least once more, to know her better. She is not the typical type of woman you often see everywhere; Lady Mia is what one would say one of a kind."

His companion smirked. "Heh, a special outstanding candidate having high percentage to strike the prize eh? Too bad she doesn't know that she was actually talking to the prince of Vale himself! And I noticed you were in quite a tight spot when she asked for your name earlier. You're lucky I noticed that and came to the rescue by interrupting her."

"Yes, and as we talked she totally forgot all about my name. That is perhaps somewhat a stroke of luck."

Garet scratched his forehead. "Hmm, maybe we can arrange something to outsmart her stepfamily. They sound like real daredevils, intent of destroying her. I'm pretty sure you would choose her as your bride if she came. After all, since all of the women who want to 'win' your heart will be there, so you should be able to choose at that time. Who knows King Kyle might just give you a 'nice lecture' if you don't get one."

His friend smiled handsomely as a light blush settled on his cheeks. "You cannot say so definitely, Garet. It is only a light interest; there may be someone else whom I shall really love."

Shrugging his shoulders, Garet smirked at the sight of his friend's blush. "Whatever you say. Sounds like a promising sudden crush though, if you ask me. Anyway, I wouldn't want you, of all people, to get someone you don't even like as your bride, Isaac. You're too good to deserve that."

The stranger smiled as he pulled back his hood a little, showing clearer features of his face. "Yes, thank you kindly for the advice, 'godfather' Garet."

"Hey! I'm not your godfather!" Garet exploded indignantly. "People like to call me as that, but oh please, I'm almost as young as you!" He made a face. "Can't imagine myself so old for now…no 'godfather' please. Just take me as your 'god brother' if you insist, but I really just prefer Garet only, alright?"

"Whatever you like then. Let's go back home; I'm sure Felix is already back by now. I would like to welcome him back as well. Who knows, Ivan might just be feverishly looking for me know, but he and Sheba might just catch the thought of me wandering about in Vale."

Garet laughed. "That midget? Nah, maybe he's just spending some quality time with Sheba."

"For a person of high-class, you sure like to call Ivan and Sheba midgets. That's quite insulting to the mind really. My parents are thinking of electing Ivan as my personal advisor when I become king. He is very wise, independent, reliable and agile despite his contrasting size."

"Yeah yeah, guess he does have the brains to do so. I'm sure I won't be of much help in this kind of field."

Isaac laughed. "So you do admit and accept the fact that some people call you a brainless oaf?"

"No, I can be just as good as other people. You know, sometimes I can't really believe you're to be the future king when your father passes the throne to you."

The spiky blonde shook his head. "Sometimes I cannot help but wonder how am I going to manage this city, this country, in my hands only. I cannot help but to doubt my capabilities in leading my country."

"Nah, I'm sure you'll be a great ruler. You're just the best person suited for this job." Garet spoke reassuringly with confidence. "But like everyone else, of course you could really use some help too. Bet you wish that Mia girl is sitting beside you on the throne. I'm sure she can give you lots of help." He chuckled heartily to his own joke.

Prince Isaac's eyebrows twitched humorously. "Garet…" He sighed with defeat as his clear blue eyes stared at the inn door with some longing in them. _I hope I shall be granted the opportunity to set my eyes on you again, Lady Mia...sometime…_

* * *

"You're late! What took you so long to get here!" 

Mia was immediately bombarded with harsh statements as soon as she opened the door leading to Room 39. There was no doubt that this particular inn in Vale was by far the biggest and largest inn she had ever saw and went into, for she never knew of inns that contained more than fifty renting rooms. Most probably the innkeeper had been a clever individual, for he or she had taken the initiative to expand the whole building to receive incoming guests as a place to stay for the party ball, and gain much more promising business.

"I'm sorry for my inpunctuality, stepmother."

She replied calmly with some chill and monotone in it. Her eyes met squarely, without any signs of cowardice, with an angry Merlina and a set of smirking stepsisters in the corner of the room.

"Stupid, slow, lazy girl! Give us back the bags!" She stepped forward and snatched the bags roughly. "You will be having your own small minute room in Room 50 at the end of the corridor, and we three our own individual comfortable rooms, Room 38, 39 and 40. I have paid for your expenses, so be grateful!" She added with a smirk, "Also, I have politely offered your 'services' to the innkeeper to help as a servant to this inn for the time being. I can very well imagine that they are short-handed now with so many guests arriving, so he was very grateful to me for giving permission to use your services. You are to report to the head maid tomorrow morning at five o'clock sharp."

Mia groaned inwardly at the hard work coming up. Resting was perhaps never a word for her, but then again, she didn't feel like relaxing the whole day unlike her stepfamily that enjoyed doing nothing.

"Of course, one cannot expect us to bow so low down as to work like a servant to clean our rooms, so I shall see to it that you will keep our rooms in perfect order and cleanliness despite whatever job you have, or we three will have something to say. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Mia had expected something like this to happen; it just was no use trying to budge a response from her stepmother, nor her two stepsisters. Her shrewd mind immediately knew that the stupid excuse of not enough maids and servants was just to get her to work, yet the excuse was unfortunately considered a good help to go well with the innkeeper's thoughts.

"Here, your keys to your lousy room, Cinders. Catch!" Karst laughed as she threw a key to the undaunted Mia.

She caught it perfectly and walked out of Room 39 without another word, heading towards the room with the number 50 on it in big bold letters.

_Here I thought I could rest after all the hard work I did at Prox; the trip to Vale here was tiring too…seems like I'm fated to serve and not to be served. Oh well_...

She opened the door and stepped in. Casually looking about, she made out a tiny room, containing little furniture consisting of a small bed, a small wardrobe, a medium-sized table and a chair with a mirror above it fastened to the wall. Everything was just simple.

Letting her bag down on the bed, she sat down and opened the zip. "You can come out now, Fizz. I need to unpack my clothes too."

From the brown bag, Fizz hopped out eagerly, munching a biscuit as she did so. "'Bout time I make an appearance too. It's been so many hours I've been cooped up in the bag!"

"Sorry, Fizz."

"Nah, it's okay. Oh, and by the way, in the bag I could hear muffled voices of you talking to two other guys. New people?"

"Yes…they were very kind people despite we were total strangers to each other." Mia's eyes held a faraway look. "Garet was one, and the other was—" She clapped her mouth. "I can't believe it! I forgot to find out his name!"

Fizz cocked her blue head to the right. "Huh?"

"There was this blue-eyed young man who helped me along the way…there was something about him that seemed unusual, perhaps…I couldn't see much other than his blue eyes, since he wore a hooded cape like mine. His eyes were deep and lovely, as if more than meets the eye…And I forgot to ask for his name!"

"Well well, just remember to ask for his name if you see him again. I can't imagine how you knew this Garet person's name but forgot to ask for his friend's."

Mia struggled to remember the past events during the last few hours. "I did ask, but I think we got interrupted, then I forgot to ask since we were talking about other matters."

"I'm sure you'll see him again; people say the world is getting smaller and smaller."

"I sincerely hope so, Fizz. Those two are very interesting companions…especially the blue-eyed one…" Her mind couldn't help wandering, those blue eyes haunting her mind. _There's really not muchdoubt about it_..._Idid feel_..._happy around him…so enchanting…contentment…it really does sound silly, but somehow I can't help wanting to see him again…_

"Mia?"

Mia snapped back to reality. "Huh?"

Fizz gave an 'a-ha' wink. "I see you've got the major hots for this new guy, Mia! Wow, he sounds pretty attractive from the way your face looks! Dreaming of him eh?"

The young woman blushed furiously at the comment. "N-no, of course not!" She hurriedly rose and started unpacking to drop the subject.

"Nah, you just don't really want to admit it. But never mind, I heard that you're to work as some sort of maid here again?"

Mia's face at once took on a bitter look at the mention of the unpleasant matter. "Yes."

"Man, those stepfamily can be such pain! I'll help you in any way I can, Mia. Remember how I used to help you over in Prox?"

She went over the wardrobe and opened its doors. "Oh yes. It was fun—" She gave a half-shriek when two blue things leaped onto her, causing her to fall down rather bumpily. "Ahh!'

"Mia!" Fizz quickly hopped over to her companion and stopped dead when her yellow eyes caught two familiar things on the ground.

"…Oops. Guess we landed on her too hard."

Fizz couldn't believe her eyes. "S…Spritz? Is that you, Spritz? And Serac too?"

The two blue things turned their heads and gaped. "Fizz! Oh my god, it's really you!" The two Mercury djinn known as Spritz and Serac jumped up to their long-lost friend and the three of them jumped up and down excitedly, talking at the top of their voices.

"Oh my god, I've missed both of you so much!"

"Yeah, me too! It's been so long ever since we were together!"

"To think that we would meet up again! I seriously thought that we wouldn't find each other again after our house was burnt down!"

"Yeah, really too!"

Poor Mia who was being ignored coughed, diverting the three djinn's attention to her. She looked around the three djinn, confused as to who was who. "Excuse me, but who…"

Fizz shook her head excitedly. "Oh yeah! Sorry Mia, let me introduce to you my two long-lost best friends, Spritz and Serac from the Mercury Djinn clan! And Spritz, Serac, meet my best human friend, Mia! She's been very good to me."

Spritz and Serac humorously bowed. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Mia."

"Uh…" Mia was at a loss for words. "Pleased to meet both of you too…um, I'm sorry if I'm offending you, but which among you is Spritz and which of you is Serac? You all three look alike!"

"Oh yeah, sorry about that. We Mercury Djinn look all alike, so the only we differentiate each other is by the colour of the ribbons we have at our tails. Like Fizz, she has a pink ribbon. For Spritz here, she has an orange ribbon, and as for me, I have a yellow ribbon. It's pretty confusing for humans to distinguish us, but us Djinn easily know each other even though we may look alike." Serac explained fully.

"Oh…" Mia frowned slightly. "So, you're Spritz" she pointed to the Djinn with the orange ribbon at the tail "and you're Serac."

"Yup, you got it."

"Okay…" Mia smiled. "But isn't it a coincidence that you three should meet here in Vale?"

Fizz jumped onto Mia's shoulder as she sat down on the bed. "Yeah, great coincidence, isn't it?"

Spritz's face became serious. "No, I don't think it is a coincidence. You see Fizz, you mayn't know that before all of us big family of Djinn separated when our home got attacked because you weren't with us, but we all agreed to meet up again twenty years later, and we decided on this city of Vale. The bad thing was that we forgot to discuss which part of Vale to meet, since it's so big."

"Twenty years? …Whatever, but where's the others then?"

"They're probably either already here somewhere else in Vale, or on the way to Vale. In any case, we try our best not to show ourselves to the public people since it'll just freak them out to see talking animals like us. We'll look for the rest now and then."

"Wow. Means that I'm lucky to have come here, even though I didn't know about this, right?"

"Yeah. Thank your lucky stars I guess."

Mia intervened politely as she smiled. "Well, if you like, both of you can stay here with me and be company for Fizz. There should be plenty of room for two additional djinn, and no one will see you. You're welcome to stay with us. What do you say?"

Spritz jumped up and down excitedly. "You really mean it, Miss Mia? Oh thanks a lot!"

"Yeah, thanks too! We've got so many things to talk and catch up with Fizz over here, right?"

"Yeah! Mia, you're the best ever!"

Twenty-one-year-old Mia couldn't help laughing. "You're welcome, and you shouldn't talk so loud; other people outside will hear you."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that! Sorry."

"It's all right. Now you three can have a nice chat on the bed, but not too loud and hyper please, while I unpack my clothes properly, then I'll fix something for us all to eat. That okay with you three?"

"Yeah!"

"Sure!"

Shaking her head amusedly, Mia rose from the bed and left the three excited happy djinn on the bed. Gathering her clothes from her bag, she couldn't help the feeling of happiness, her mouth curling into a sincere smile. She had made more friends, and she was happy with them.

_Maybe coming to Vale was not such a bad idea after all. …Who knows? I may just be able to somehow attend the ball myself and have some fun if I ever do get the chance…and I'll see the prince of Vale with my own eyes!_

* * *

It was still a busy life for her. The whole morning she would spend her time making up the beds and clean the rooms properly, taking the pain to ensure every speck of dust was swept, and not a single bed sheet laid on the bed would be crooked in any angle. In the afternoon, she would be a waitress and cook in the inn kitchen, serving other guests who ate in the dining room supplied by the innkeeper. After her work well done in the night, she would retire to Room 50 and spend the time with her fun-loving companion, Fizz, and her two new friends, Spritz and Serac. They livened her life, and she was grateful to them for it. 

Life for young Mia was perhaps not entirely what any ordinary person would call enjoyable and pleasant, but to her, everything was different. Taking the job as a servant-maid was perhaps tiring, but it was perhaps the same as what she did in her home at Prox. Seeing the cleanliness and neatness of the rooms that she cleaned and made up gave her enough satisfaction.

Time passed indeed very quickly for Mia. Mornings and nights passed by, and soon the days began to fly, and before she knew it, a week was over. And soon the thirteenth night came…

* * *

"Anyone outside?" 

Mia popped her head from the door. "No; the coast is clear." She closed and locked the door, and then she walked over and sat down on a chair.

"Great! So let's revise our plan, shall we?"

Mia nodded her head. "As far as our plan to fail my stepfamily's plans goes, I've already replaced the vial that contains the 'Death Potion' with ordinary water in Menardi's bag. Luckily I was able to replace it without being seen. I hope it will go unnoticed, since the colour is almost of the same. See, this is the 'Death Potion'." She held out a small vial with a white blurry liquid inside it as she laid it carefully on the table.

"Okay. That's good enough for now. We'll have to keep it properly." Fizz nodded her head.

"But we can't really guarantee that they don't have spare vials of the same potion, even though we've already checked their bags and rooms. They may even keep it in person, ya know. I'm sure they're smarter than that." Serac spoke quietly.

"Yeah, that's why we're going to send Mia here to the ball to talk to the prince about it, just in case. You'll have to convince him of it properly before he gets a dose of it. Mia, have you already got the dress you've been sewing this last few weeks ready?"

"Yes. It's right here." Mia rose from her position, opened the wardrobe and took out her dress. It was a short-sleeved cotton gown of baby pink colour with tiny laces at the hem. A long pink ribbon was tied to the waist. There was nothing special about it; simple was the word, but it looked neat and pretty. It was a masterpiece, considering that every single stitch was homemade.

"Wow, pink! Nice colour, Mia! It's really a great dress you've made there!" Spritz bounced over to her.

Mia chuckled. "Thanks, Spritz. Actually I would prefer blue colour, but you guys provided me with this pink cloth. But really, pink is one of my favourite colours too, so I like it very much. But the dress is nothing short of simple."

"Oh well, it's the best we could do in such a short time. I mean, we don't really have the money to buy a nice one, and the money you earned for working as a maidservant was only enough to buy this pink cloth."

"Yup." Spritz nodded her head comically. "So the dress is ready, and the vial is replaced. What else do we need to do?"

"Spritz, don't forget on how we're going to send Mia to the ball. I'm sure those people won't care to give her a lift to the palace castle thing." Serac reminded her companion reproachfully.

"No worries about that, Serac. I can easily hop a lift in any carriage that arrives in front of the inn, since the innkeeper tells me that he will be very happy to provide transportation to the ball for me, as I have been very successful in my work as a maidservant. He has promised not to mention anything about it to my stepfamily." Mia explained patiently.

Fizz nodded thoughtfully. "Great, everything's going well so far. So all you need to do tomorrow is to do your daily work in the morning and afternoon, while we three Djinn will help you to get things ready. When you come back and your stepfamily's gone to the palace, you'll come up and get dressed, then hop into a carriage and go to the ball. You'll have to do your best there, Mia. We've done our best, and you have the most important job; ensure that the prince, whoever he is, is safe. And we can't help you in any way when you're there."

Mia set her chin determinedly. "I don't really know what to say since it sounds really silly and unconvincing to an innocentlistener,butI'll certainly try my best to fail their plan; I won't let them destroy another life as they like."

"Great! Now that's the spirit!"

"Yeah!"

"Shh!" Mia placed a finger on her lips. "Not too loud; other people can hear you! Anyway, it's late enough; time to go to bed!"

"Yeah yeah..." Three djinn hopped onto the side of the bed.

Mia smiled as she got into her bed and pulled the blanket over her. Hugging the three small djinn, her hand gently patted their blue heads as her eyelids slowly closed. "Good night, everyone; sleep tight!"

Little did she know that tomorrow would be the most exciting and unforgettable day of her life…

* * *

"…And that is what has been said. I have heard every single word, dearest mother. They were careful, but not careful enough in every single moment." 

"Hmph. So they have replaced our vial of 'Death Potion', haven't they? But as they assume, of course we have spare vials in person; such a valuable thing cannot be left alone to be tampered with!"

"Those tiny voices…that can only belong to the class of Djinn, is it not?"

"Yes…to think that that girl has actual Djinn of her own…they would only appear to an individual if he or she was an Adept. That perhaps complicate matters…I did not expect her to come up with her own plan to defeat us."

"But that does not matter. If she has her plan to destroy ours, then we will strike ahead first, and in turn destroy _her _plan! Nothing will stop us in order to win; not even the ancient Djinn! We must ensure that she never has the chance to even place a footstep in the palace!"

"Yes, that is well said, but what do we do?"

"Listen then, I have my own counter plans. Do as I say when tomorrow approaches, and we shall not lose to this stupid hindering obstacle!"

"The long-awaited day where the wheels of fate will turn, where we shall alter our own fate with our own hands and gain power!"

* * *

Author's Note: …Did that last sentence actually sounded kinda cheesy? Hope not. Note: I'll be updating one chapter for my Fire Emblem fic first, so maybe it'll be some time before I update this fic.

Anyways, quite a long chapter to go this time eh? Hope it's still good, especially when Mia meets Isaac and Garet! Actually I planned on them meeting only during the ball, but I just couldn't resist the attempt of Mudshipping in this chapter…but it's really the first time where real romance is included, and only very slight at that. Hopefully I didn't screw it up!

Next chapter coming up: It's finally the day of the party ball! Mia and company has planned their moves, but not everything always goes right as planned…they do not know it, but the stepfamily has their own plans to backstab them too behind their back! Evil lurks dangerously just around the corner…what do they do?

Stay in tuned to this story always, and don't forget to review!


	10. The Awaited Moment, Part 1

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

Before I go into anything, first of all I'll like to apologize for the extreme long pause of one month plus before updating, but my exams were pulling me down…but no more of that for the rest of this year! I'll try to update more often, but I do have other stuff to do too.

* * *

Chapter 10: The Awaited Moment; Part 1

"Mother, are you done?"

"Yes, yes. Have you gotten ready the dresses, Menardi?"

"Yes, that girl is ironing them right now. They'll be ready for wear in a few more minutes."

Merlina and her two daughters were busying about in their rooms, excitedly scurrying in and out. Merlina had firmly stressed upon her two daughters that though they were not attending the ball to attract the prince's attention, but nevertheless she would not tolerate skimpiness and scantiness around her in their most vital task. Making sure that they were all wearing their best dresses to appear very much presentable and honored, she took charge of the preparations efficiently.

"Here, the dresses are done." Mia came in hurrying to her stepmother's room in short breaths, holding the stepsisters' dark red dresses in her hand carefully. She had just finished from her daily work as a maidservant and she was not given more than five minutes in total to rest before being harshly ordered to iron the ball dresses. Mia was very excited too, but for a different reason than that of her stepfamily.

Dressed in a violet gown, Merlina eyed the slightly sweating young woman warily before taking the dresses away from her hand, examining every inch of them for any glitches or mistakes that she could find to complain of. Seeing that everything was perfectly done, she just snorted for a chance to snub at her. "Hmph, only mediocre work!"

Mia pursed her lips as she stood waiting at the door. Her clear eyes saw Menardi and Karst taking their own ball dress from their mother's hands, quickly exiting into their own personal rooms through the connecting-doors to change into them. It was half-past five, and they had only one and half-hours before the actual party ball started. _Plenty of time for me to prepare myself since they'll be leaving soon, I guess. I hope everything will go well as planned… I wonder if Fizz, Spritz and Serac have everything ready…_

A few minutes later, Menardi and Karst emerged from their own rooms and made a seemingly glorious show to their mother and poor raggedy-clothed Mia. Mia only stared blankly back at them with slight interest. Both women's hairs were pinned up into a smart bun with a few curls falling down, showing off their pale neck at the back. The dresses the stepsisters wore were of the same features; a long, blooming dress of pure blood red colour with the symbol of their hometown, Prox, at the end of their sleeves, made of expensive silk. The dresses were rather tight fitting, thus giving them the attractive appearance, but one would not go so far as to relate it as seductive.

Menardi's sharp eyes caught her stepsister looking at her dress and she smirked as she teased. "Hey CinderMia, wouldn't you _love _to go to the ball? With your raggedy and dirty clothes; what a sight you'd be to everyone in the room!" She laughed shrilly.

Insulted, Mia just gritted her teeth inside, but her face showed nothing, choosing to remain expressionless. _So they do not know about my homemade dress; that is good… unless… _Her mind suddenly raced like lightning as a new thought entered her mind. _Unless… the almost-impossible happens…_

"You're right; everyone would have a good laugh if they saw you, dear stepsister, at the ball. Wouldn't they, mother?" Karst sneered, malice in her tone.

"As you say. Now that we are ready, I suggest we do not waste our time anymore here. Have you done all that I told you, Menardi?" Merlina's eyes suddenly glinted.

Her daughter in question only smiled back serenely. "Oh yes, of course, mother. Everything is absolutely _perfect_." Her eyes went to Mia, who couldn't help feeling uncomfortable at that look. Feelings of uncertainty crept into her as more doubt increased in her mind. She felt as if someone, something was being concealed from her, something vital…

"Very well then, let us depart. The carriages are already waiting outside the inn. We must not be late. Go ahead first in your own carriage, Menardi and Karst. I have a few things to do first, but I shall see you at the ballroom soon."

"As you wish, mother. See you at the palace." Exiting the room with poised grace, Menardi and Karst complied with their mother's order, but not before throwing looks and glances of triumph to a blank Mia who still stood at the door after giving passageway to the two of them.

Merlina paused for a while as she scrutinized the young woman in front of her. "And now, as for YOU, you will stay here quietly and clean our rooms like any ordinary person would, and then after that you will clean the attic by the order of the innkeeper. When I come back later on, I expect everything in perfect order, so as not to blacken our image. Do you understand?"

Mia nodded silently as she moved away from the door with Merlina in tow as they both emerged into the long corridor. By now her heart beating was gradually increasing due to some reason Mia could not fathom. _Okay… now calm down Mia… you can do this; feeling nervous will just get into the way here. Now let's see… all that I need to do is to just quickly go to my room, change into my clothes, and hop into an empty carriage to get to the palace, seek out the prince and tell him all about their plan to control him! I hope it won't go any further than that…it doesn't sound like a simple task to convince the prince anyway…for all I know, he just might think that I'm some kind of freak trying to scare him and cause an unnecessary alarm in the middle of nowhere…_

As Mia's stepmother walked down the steps graciously, she stopped in her steps and turned back with a snarling smile, the innocent fake smile that was always there vanished in an instant. "Ah yes, and before I forget, you must tidy your room too; it's in a pretty big and dirty mess. How could you get your room so hideously ugly, I also cannot fathom… better check your own habits first before making yourself a maidservant, eh?"

Mia's mind went into a whirl, taken aback at the piercing words. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped. _W… what is she talking about? My room was tidy the last time I left it! My room in a big mess… there's no way it could have gone messy in the first place! It's not like they ever do go into my room… oh no… don't tell me…_

Merlina's voice was soft like the purring of a cat as she carried on lightly but which was laced with sarcasm. "You know, anyone can tell that you're really disappointed not to be able to go to the ball; but perhaps you'll be more contented this time with staying in your mini-size room, minding your own business! I mean, you can't really expect things to go well always on your side; roulette games are always like that. It's never more than a 50-50 percent chance anyway. Don't you know that too?"

Mia was stunned. Her mouth opened, words threatening to pour out helter-skelter, but instead nothing fell out. An elderly man who passed by the same corridor took a surprised glance at her shocked look, but hurriedly looked away.

"It's really too bad that you can't come; after all, you _have _been planning so much about it, haven't you?"

The last sentence uttered out lashed out mildly, yet it hit its targeted mark. The direct shot went home.

Mia's eyes widened even more with shock and horror as she stood rooted to the ground, dumb-founded, looking ghastly at the disappearing form of her stepmother as the red-haired woman descended the stairs with a triumph air in her manner.

* * *

"… And it's the day! Aren't you excited, Isaac? I would be if it really were me you know. Who wouldn't be?" 

"Well…I suppose I am. … How do I look?"

Garet squinted his eyes at the young prince standing before him. His eyes told him that he was dressed in a magnificent gold olden style long-sleeved jacket, made of the finest velvet material you ever saw, with light glitters on it if reflected by the light. It looked rich, attractive, soft and most comfortable (but which Garet felt with regret that he could not wear such royal finery). Underneath the jacket was an ordinary white cotton shirt. His smart black pants went well with his clothes and outlook. Topping off with a cute sapphire blue bow tie at the neck and shiny black footwear, there was no wonder why the handsome-looking male was one of the most popular attractions amongst the opposite sex.

"Not bad, not bad. I dare say you'd look smashing to those crazy fangirls of yours. Now if this was a show and not reality, I bet the person would have absolutely big love hearts on their eyes."

Adjusting his bow tie nervously as he laughed, Isaac tried to flatten his unruly spiky golden hair which nevertheless remained stubborn and refused to budge. "My hair just won't flatten down no matter how much I try to flatten it. Hair gel doesn't seem to work too. I guess I'll just have to leave it at that."

"Nah, I think you'd want to let it spiky like mine. It just sort of makes girls swoon somehow."

"Well, I certainly didn't expect you to know that, Garet." Isaac raised a humored eyebrow. "It sounds as if you're the type of women's observer."

"I'm not; anyone can easily tell that hair of yours and golden jacket is really, what the kids in Vale would say, smashing."

"Well then, I'm glad that I chose this gold jacket than the other black one." Turning an appraising eye on his friend, Prince Isaac casually remarked, "You look good too, what with that maroon suit of yours to go with your red hair."

Garet smirked. "Heh, guess I do know a little about good fashion. I bet Jenna will like this."

Isaac looked at him with surprise. "Jenna? Who on earth is that?"

To his astonishment, his big-sized friend blushed a little. "Oh yeah, that's right; I never did tell you about her. Jenna's my childhood friend for years, but we're not related by blood or something. Her parents are living in Vale too."

"This Lady Jenna is your friend for so many years, and she is living in Vale itself, and yet I have not the pleasure of meeting her?"

Garet grinned. "You were always too busy when she came along. The time always did clash somehow. But anyway, you'll see her tonight; she's coming over for the party ball too. But I warn you; I don't really know about having the pleasure to meet her; Jenna is quite the hot-tempered one. She's cheerful, and mind you, she can be the she-demon too if you get on the wrong side of her temper. But deep down, she's really nice and sensitive."

Isaac nodded his head thoughtfully. "So this young lady is the fiery type…" His eyes glinted with humour. "And I imagine I am not to tamper with her tonight, since there may be a transparent mark saying 'reserved' on her…" Here he chuckled. "For there is already someone whom I think is attracted to her, perhaps?"

"Now Isaac…" Garet blushed another deeper shade of red.

"Aha, it seems that I have hit the mark, have I not? But don't worry; I'll help you as much as I can if you need it. I won't interfere if you do not wish it."

Garet sighed. "Alright, alright. I give up. Now let's get going to the ballroom, alright? I mean, we do have to be early to receive any incoming guests…"

"Very well, let us go. I imagine my parents have a word or two to say first to me before it starts." Patting his best friend on the shoulder, the two left the room.

"Is it really true that the whole thing's going to be a masked ball?"

"Well, yes, that is true… my parents wished to have something slightly more special than just a normal party ball, and it was quite a last-minute decision."

"So whose idea of making it a masked ball was it?"

"Hmm… I think it was Kraden, if I'm not mistaken…"

"K… Kraden? That old fart actually suggested THAT kind of idea?"

"Now Garet…"

"… Oh yeah, oops. It just slipped off my mouth accidentally. I didn't even so much think that he could actually give any reasonable ideas other than his favourite subject really."

"No, it's all right really; to tell you the truth, I too had quite a hard time restraining my laughter when I heard about it from Ivan…"

"Now who's the one talking, eh?"

"Well, at least 'the words didn't slip off my mouth'…"

"Oh fine, fine…you win. I get it."

* * *

The door made of simple wood leading to Room 50 was flung open in a fast motion as a sweaty and edgy Mia rushed into her rented room. 

"Mia! You're back!"

The three Mercury djinn, Fizz, Spritz and Serac, quickly bounded over to the young woman as they greeted her with enthusiasm but with worry in it. They received no response from the young woman however; her mind was purely much more occupied with other matters.

Especially what she saw in front and around her.

Her hand went up to her mouth as she gaped in shock, thunderstruck. "My… my room… it's in an utter mess!"

Indeed, her room was the untidiest room you could ever imagine ever to be in. Clothes littering around the floor, bags and papers all littered everywhere, and torn stockings and other clothes followed suit. The state and condition the room was in deeply contrasted with Mia's daily principles, which she practiced always no matter where her home was, let it be even an ordinary small tent; 'untidy' was never registered in her dictionary when such matters concerned her personal room.

The three djinn could only bow their heads down crestfallenly. "We're so sorry Mia… but we swear, it wasn't us who did this--"

"Yes, I know… my stepfamily did all these…" Mia interrupted bitterly, biting her lower lip agonizingly as her eyes sorted out the mess with horror. _So this was what they meant…but how…how could they do this? It must have been Menardi and Karst at fault; stepmother never did leave her room today… _She could very well imagine her stepsisters sneers on their faces as they tore fabrics apart roughly, ransacking her belongings and tearing things apart everywhere around; the mere thought of it sickened her.

Serac spoke apologetically. "We already tidied the room a little before you came in… otherwise the chairs would still be toppled down and more rubbish on the floor--"

"Shh!" Spritz swung her tail over Serac's mouth to keep her friend quiet, afraid that Mia would feel even more hurt.

But Mia did not even hear those words. Another thought struck her like a lightning strike. "The dress! Where…" She darted towards her wardrobe and opened both doors with haste.

There was nothing there. The cloth hangers hung were empty of any clothes.

Lifting dreaded eyes to the base of the wooden wardrobe, threads of wool, followed by shreds and pieces of pink cloth which used to form a cotton pink dress greeted her.

She gasped loudly, evidently not expecting a setback so much on her plans. Feeling dazed and very much upset, she stumbled over to a chair and half-sat down looking worriedly as she spoke in a hoarse whisper. "You… you saw them?"

Fizz took charge at once. "Yeah… they went in here about half an hour ago, most probably a few minutes after you left to do the ironing. It was only the two stepsisters though; they rampaged through this whole place like mad freaks, especially when they tore the dress… we three were just lucky enough to have small bodies so that we were able to hide at the tiny space behind the wardrobe, in case they saw us."

Mia shook her head dismally. "I should have seen this coming… they must have eavesdropped on us somehow. We weren't cautious enough…"

"Hey, come on, cheer up Mia! It isn't your fault at all; who would have thought that your stepfamily would be so desperate?" Spritz jumped up to her shoulder, sympathetically patting her.

Sighing heavily, the aqua-haired girl placed a hand on her forehead. "But even so…" She left the sentence unfinished, raising her arms in despair. "So what are we supposed to do? What can we do now? No dress, and even though we have a carriage waiting--, no wait, do I even have a carriage waiting out there, now that I know what's happening?"

Serac coughed politely. "Um… well, I really don't want to make things look even worst, but… you're right; there's no carriage out there. All vacant space."

Mia felt like rolling her eyes sarcastically. "Oh yeah, like I didn't expect that…" She muttered in low breaths, feeling annoyed. "But how do you know that, Serac?"

"We overheard the two stepsisters talking really animatedly about the whole thing and all when they were here… they said that they told the innkeeper earlier on in the afternoon that you didn't need it anymore since you changed your mind about going to the palace, and that you'd rather stay here. He believed the whole farrago, and he cancelled the carriage and gave it to someone else." Fizz spoke quietly.

_Oh god, this is just the worst time for such things to happen! First my room's all messed up, then my dress has been torn to pieces, and now I have no transport at all! What in the world can I do to stop their plans anymore? If I were to walk the whole way by myself, I'd be way too late! _

"And another thing, Mia…" Serac broke her train of thoughts.

"Huh?"

"I don't know how they knew about it, but this stepfamily of yours knows about us Djinn. They may not know who we are and what exactly we can do, but they know that there are three Djinn hiding with you. That's bad, since I don't know how anyone else would know about us Djinn… so that can only mean one thing." Serac's face was grave.

Mia held her breath. "… And?"

"They must be Adepts who have control over their ability." Spritz finished simply. "And from what we see, they're probably Mars Adepts; adepts who control the power of flame. Their red hair tells us that, since it's a common trait of Adepts to have the same hair colour of their Psynergy type. They're the exact opposite of you, Mia, since you're a Mercury Adept. You know this, right?"

"A… adepts? Yes… yes, Fizz told me about it, but… Menardi and Karst are adepts like me too?" She shook her head helplessly.

Fizz narrowed her yellow eyes. "If they were real desperate, some nasty things can happen; and it's quite possible. I just didn't think that there were more Adepts around, especially so near you. Moreover, you can't really control your ability of water yet Mia… if they were to assault you, things can get bad. It's a pity we didn't have the time to focus a little on controlling your Psynergy, or you'll have at least some sort of defense against any attack, especially from fire."

Looking at Mia's frightened face, she quickly continued. "But of course, that's where we three Djinn come in; we'll help and protect you. You needn't worry much about it. Who knows they might have just got the information about us from someone or somewhere else by chance! We're just overreacting really I guess."

Mia sighed. "So what can we do now? Unless I start the whole journey to the palace by foot in these rugged clothes, there's no other way that I can think of now. And I guarantee you that by the time I reach the castle, it's almost a hundred percent that my stepfamily will have achieved their goal… it'd be one in a billion if they did the whole scheme so late when they were so eager to hit it off." She paused for a while to catch her breath.

"Yeah, guess we're really just wasting time here… we've got only like an hour left before the party starts!" Spritz jumped excitedly, but for a different reason than what it might have been before had their plans not be spoiled.

"How about 'borrowing' one of your stepsisters' dresses then? Since they destroy ours, we should be welcomed to borrow one of theirs! We deserve it anyway!"

Mia shook her head with a small smile. "Nice suggestion Fizz, but even though I have access to their rooms, I know for a fact that neither of my stepfamily members ever forgets to lock their wardrobe door. In fact, I saw them locking their own wardrobe doors carefully before they left, so no go." She sighed heavily again. "They're really careful with what they do… we weren't on our guard."

"Man, this is so hard…can't anything be done? We're just sitting here, doing nothing!" Serac spoke almost disgustedly at the condition they were in.

Mia felt worry increasing by the second, welling up in her. She was almost on the verge of despair; her plan had gone well so far, and now it all crushed down so simply…it left so few choices for her to choose. "I don't know…"

"Now, now…don't sound so mopey…be strong! It'll turn out okay in the end, I'm sure, no matter what happens. Besides, the prince can't be such a helpless good-for-nothing, can he? Being a prince, he should know some art of defense, and he's surely to have a guard around! Your steps may have some difficulty after all. It's never an easy plan to trick royalty anyway." Fizz patted her on the shoulder, but she herself was feeling extremely worried too.

"So what are we going to do? I agree with you that it'll just be useless to run all the way there…you'll end up too tired to do anything anyway. We're always going back to that question…" Spritz inquired timidly.

Mia's eyes lowered as Spritz's question repeated itself again and again in her mind. _A life at stake here…and possibly more…_

…_No matter how I think, only that solution presents itself to me the same way round. I pray to Mercury that I shall not be too late…_

* * *

DING! 

The old but still majestic-looking grandfather clock situated in the ballroom of the palace Vale rang once to inform of the arrival of half-past six, the loud yet pleasant sound echoing throughout the whole wide room.

The ballroom was indeed, what one might have decidedly said, lovely and inviting. The room was most probably equivalent to two or three halls. Already the entrance to the room was richly decorated with thick red carpets, welcoming those visitors and guests with a warm look. The dance floors were neatly tiled up with expensive, exquisite white mosaic tiles decorated with ancient designs. Lovely violet curtains were pulled over the large, glass windows, making the ballroom warm but oddly not too warm for discomfort, a direct contrast from the biting hard winds outdoors. Circling the wide dance floor were large tables, chairs made out of the purest oak around it, the floor carpeted with light maroon colour. Any single ordinary soul who stepped into that special room would gape, wonder, and feel to be in their fantasyland.

At the far end of the ballroom lay a high stage, presenting an air or importance and order to those around. Two wide and comfortable chairs were placed side-by-side, similarly to those who would have seen as in the throne room, specially made for the King and Queen of Vale, His Majesty King Kyle and Her Highness Queen Dora. Another set of two chairs was placed at the side of the stage, presumably for the prince and the emcee of the night. Beside the stage were a group of male and female musicians, each of them playing their own instruments, altogether creating wonderful harmony and peace in the soft, melodious background songs which they played.

At the early hour of half-past six in the evening, already few had arrived. Women of high and low caliber, dressed in beautiful dresses, some standing at the corner of the room, some sitting down delicately on the oak chairs, some others dancing around with their male escorts (whom were permitted to enter the ballroom and enjoy the night too). Every single soul was wearing a mask, the type of mask that only covered the rim of the eyes. There were many colours of masks; it created a variation atmosphere, but also sorts of lovely harmony. It was clear that everyone was enjoying the early evening, and the night to come…

And in the midst of them all, was one of the most important celebrities of the night. The one whom the party ball was created for. Prince Isaac.

As soon as Garet had saw the varieties of eye masks laid out neatly at the entrance for all the guests, he had almost literally pulled Isaac along excitedly to choose a suitable mask 'before anyone else gets what I want to choose, and nobody's going to get what I'm going to get', or so Garet said. After appraising most of them with a careful eye, Isaac had finally settled to a simple golden mask to match with his handsome golden suit. After choosing a red and black mask for himself, Garet had then excused himself to tend to his own duties for the night, promising to catch up with Isaac later.

Wandering about the room, his blue cloak flowing behind him majestically, Prince Isaac gave a smile to everyone whom his eyes caught of, especially the single young women. Yet behind that smile, the young prince could not help but to feel a little discouraged, and perhaps, what one might have described it, bored.

Yes, he had agreed to this idea of a party ball; yes, he had agreed to dress up and face the crowd; and yes, he had agreed to choose his own bride at this very night. But meeting with so many women whom clearly admired him, and even some whom were crazy of him, were a bit tiring. He sometimes had the job of escorting the women guests personally from their carriage as soon as one arrived at the castle, especially for those high-class nobles. He had received the same smile, the same response when they saw him, the same attitude they adopted around him, hell, he could even bet that he knew what was going on in their thoughts! All wanted to be the chosen bride, he knew that, but they showed it too clearly for his liking, some even to go to the extent as to flirting, which he responded politely but hinting of shrugging it off, still acting out his role as the ever polite prince. He was beginning to have a serious bout of second thoughts about the whole idea…

There was nothing special in the ladies he met, and that was a fact. Now, if it concerned _her_… it would be a totally different story altogether.

"Isaac? Hey, Isaac!"

Isaac's eyes blinked as he snapped out of his reverie, and faced the voice calling him.

Truth be told, his heart suddenly felt lightened, even to the extent of relieved, when he laid eyes on his close friend. Perhaps he just needed some refreshment and companionship. Ivan was, after all, busy in his own matters as he was the emcee for the night with Sheba, therefore making him busy and unavailable for the mean time. He was totally determined not to spoil the night, rushing here and there, checking out on the preparations; even the minute detail was studied.

Eagerly moving towards Garet in a friendly fashion, his face lighted up in a sincere warm smile. Garet appeared, or so Isaac mused, somewhat excited and agreeably happy, even more energetic than usual. Then his clear blue eyes caught a bright flash of red behind Garet, causing a light frown to crease his pleasant face.

Seeing that his appearance was duly acknowledged, Garet smiled cheerfully and moved aside. "Hey Isaac! Remember Jen, my childhood friend that we were talking about just now? Well, here she is!"

As he moved aside, a beautiful lady stepped forward. Having waist-length hair with the mixture of red and auburn colours tied up neatly with a purple ribbon, it matched perfectly with her dark red and purple tight-fit evening dress which she wore. The rim of her eyes were spaciously covered by a maroon eye mask and her unique red eyes were full of cheerfulness, gaiety and fire yet holding a sense of importance and alertness to her surroundings, as if expecting an ambush of attack or some sorts anytime. She walked confidently but with the light touch of conscious femininity, or so Isaac observed with mild amusement. _She seems to be totally capable of taking care of herself…_One would, in short summary, describe this Lady Jenna as a young woman who knew exactly who she was and where she stood, definitely not a damsel of any kind.

"How do you do, Prince Isaac? Jenna is my name, but I'm sure you have already known that." She held out a gloved hand consciously as the prince in question lightly kissed her hand.

Looking directly into her deep reddish eyes, Isaac smiled. He found it easy to talk and converse with this girl, even though he had just met her. She seemed to radiate a glow of friendliness and warmth around her; he felt as if he was conversing to one of his old friends. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Jenna. Garet here has told me a considerable amount about you."

Jenna grinned a little as she turned back to glance at an innocent-looking Garet, her mouth slightly twitching. "Good ones I hope…"

"Ah yes, of course, all that I have heard about you are nothing short of compliments. Right, Garet?"

"Er… um, yeah I guess so…" Flustered, the redhead scratched his head awkwardly.

Jenna struck a comical pose. "Hm, better be then." Turning back to Isaac, she smiled again. "Well, Your Highness must have many other people saying this, but I must really get this off my chest. It was the first thought that entered my mind as soon as I arrived here, and I still don't have any second thoughts about it. This room is _absolutely _just beautiful! Everything's laid out so nicely, what one would easily describe as perfect. Perfect is the exact word, and I'm not exaggerating it at all. Everything's in order, and everyone's ready! I'm sure everything will go superbly!" Her eyes suddenly sharp, she continued, "That is, you've been worrying about that, haven't you?"

Isaac was startled. _How did she… _"That is…yes, truth be told; I am a trifle worried… pardon me for my bluntness, but how did you know that, Lady Jenna?"

She dismissed it with a hand. "Nah, anyone would be feeling like that, especially if it involved them directly. I would feel like that too. But let's just say that I do have quite the natural instincts of psychology, all right?" She winked. "Ah yes, just call me Jenna. I feel awkward if anyone gives me some kind of title."

He chuckled lightly. "Very well then, Jenna. But that's Isaac for you too."

"Quits then." She suddenly grinned. "Oh, and maybe Garet has already told you, but I'm Felix's younger sister."

Isaac raised startled eyes at her. "Felix? You're Felix's younger sister?"

Garet cut in apologetically. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about that, Isaac. That's why Jenna is also part of royalty, in an indirect way."

"Yup, that's right." Turning to Isaac, she looked inquisitively. "Surprised to hear that?"

"Yes, I was quite surprised with the news." The prince pondered awhile, his eyes looking absently at the ceiling. "But now that I think about it, I do remember that Felix had once told me that he had a slightly younger sister living in Vale… if I'm not mistaken, I think he said that she was very outright and too hot-tempered for a young woman--"

"Shh!" Garet quickly cut his sentence mid-off, beckoning with a finger at a frowning Jenna.

"Oh… oops." Isaac covered his mouth, feeling as if he was back in his childhood teens where he could enjoy and laugh with his friends.

Jenna angrily shook her fist. "Why that Felix…"

Isaac hurried intervened, hoping to calm the fiery woman down. "But I do remember him saying that despite her downs, she was very kind, and she was forever the best sister he could ever have and wish for in his whole life."

As if working by the forces of magic, immediately the frown creased and Jenna smiled a little, even if still not a little displeased at her brother's earlier comments. "Well, I suppose that is better…"

"Hey, great trick done, Isaac!" Garet whispered softly into Isaac's ears, giving him a thumbs-up.

Jenna smirked. "I heard that, Garet." Looking past Isaac, she saw a well-dressed woman advancing towards the prince hurriedly and she grinned. "Looks like I can't stay here for long and chat around… I really mustn't take up your time, can I? You're the shining center of attraction tonight after all."

Immediately the golden-haired prince turned back and one glance at the unknown excited woman set a quiet sigh. Before leaving, he once more addressed Jenna casually. "Perhaps we will have the chance to talk again later on?"

"Sure. Friends?" She held out her hand.

"Of course." He warmly shook her hand. Then, turning abruptly, he left in the opposite direction. Jenna pursed her lips as her eyes continued lingering on the prince's disappearing form, lost in deep thought. _Something quite not right here…_

"What are you thinking about?"

The red-haired young woman jumped slightly as the voice pierced through her train of thoughts. Turning back abruptly, she faced a rather handsome but puzzled-looking Garet. She felt induced to place her hands on her hips and glare at the redhead for disturbing her, but at that moment her mind had better things to tend to, so all she did was a blank shrug.

"Hmm? No, I was just thinking about something about this Isaac person…" She frowned, lines creasing her forehead.

"What about Isaac?"

Jenna could not help but notice (with some amusement) that even the densest person was able to act quickly to suspicions; Garet's tone was somewhat sharp. A smile plastered on her face as she waved a slender forefinger directly at his clean-shaven face, her tone teasing. "Well well, wouldn't you like to know? I've heard that he's almost perfect from the other girls; and I must admit, he's really quite the catch eh?"

"Yeah I know…" Garet looked away, but other than disappointment and slight envy, she could not notice any other feelings or expression evident on him.

"Oooh… jealous aren't you?" Her eyes glinted merrily as she smirked.

A bright flush immediately swept over his face as he haltingly countered, eyes gazing directly into hers. "N-no! I mean, why should I be?"

Jenna chuckled, her hands clasped together at her back as she inched her face closer to Garet in a girlish fashion. "Oh… you mean you're not?" She pretended to hide a show of disappointment as she pulled back, speaking just loud enough for him to hear. "But I thought… you…"

If Garet was flustered earlier on, by this time a look of dismay was etched clearly on his face. "Hey Jenna, that—that's not what I meant! I… I didn't mean it that way; I ah… um… oh, you know what I mean! It's like… uh…"

The redhead struggled so hard with his words as he feverishly shook his head, as if they were holding his mouth tight shut, that Jenna could not resist the urge anymore to laugh out loud. She laughed and laughed, her silvery, light laugh delightful to hear, but fortunately it was not heard clearly over the quiet murmurs of voices that filled the surroundings around her.

"What's so funny?" He looked at her curiously.

"Silly! Of course I didn't mean it; I just wanted to gauge your reaction when I said that. You're just so fun to tease, you know that?"

Garet immediately stopped his inner struggle as he glared at his childhood friend, feeling very much annoyed. "Jenna! Hmph… always making me look so embarrassed in public places. Sheesh, why am I always the teased one and not the teasing one?" He crossed his arms on his chest, feeling cross.

"Well, that's probably due to the fact that you're quite the oaf, Garet. It's really too bad, but seriously, I really think that the day when you're actually a hundred percent intellectual is the day I'll die of shock. In fact, Felix said something like that too." She grinned.

He rolled his eyes. "Now to get back to the real point, what were you thinking so deeply about?"

Sitting down on a nearby oak chair lined up in a circle around a small table, she nodded her head casually. "Oh all right. Enough of this whole rigmarole; I was just thinking that there is something quite not right with Isaac… I mean that even though this is supposed to be his glory night, he doesn't seem to act excited or anything; boredom would be more likely of what I would describe his face just now, especially when he left us off to tend to that girl. Don't you think so too?"

Rubbing his chin gingerly, Garet paused as he recalled back. "Hmm… I'm not too sure, but… yeah, maybe he did feel bored. I look at it from my own point of view; if I were to welcome every single gal who is absolutely mad on me whom I don't even know and care about with forced smiles and greetings, I think I would go crazy." He grinned slightly at that thought. "Didn't you notice he seemed pretty happy talking to us, instead of being sort of suffocated with those flaunty ladies?"

"Well, you do have a point there… this whole idea of a party ball was his parents' idea, but he agreed to it, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did… he was pretty surprised at the sudden idea, but he told me that he agreed quite readily when he gave it a second thought."

"I see…" Jenna frowned. "Can't we do anything to make him feel better? I don't think that it's so bad until he's way bored to death or something, but can't we try to do anything to spice the night up?"

Her words seemed to have set Garet into deep thinking as he sat down on another chair opposite her, his arms crossed. Seconds of time lapsed before a smartly dressed raven-haired waiter sauntered up to them, holding a tray filled with glasses of expensive wine. Bowing in courtesy, he politely addressed Jenna. "Champagne, my lady?"

She smiled, nodding her head. "Yes, and one for this gentleman too, thank you."

"You are welcome, my lady." Placing two tall but thin glasses full with bubbly French wine on the table, the waiter bowed again before leaving.

Jenna held the delicate glass to her lips, slowly sipping the concentrated wine as she enjoyed the sweet-smelling taste and intoxicating aroma.

By this time Garet had rested his whole weight on his comfortable chair, speaking as in a mumble. "You know, no matter how hard I think, the only way I can think of to make Isaac happy is to have this Mia girl here, since from what I know and saw, Isaac did seem kinda interested in her, but…"

Jenna's eyes suddenly snapped wide open. Placing her glass on the table with a soft thud in a somewhat unladylike fashion, she stared at Garet as if he had just skinned ten lambs alive in five seconds. "What? Did I just hear you say 'Mia'?"

The redhead looked at her in a puzzled fashion. "Yeah, I did. Why?"

Jenna looked excited as she pursed her lips. "I… can you describe how she looks like?"

"Well…" He frowned absently at the wall as he searched for a suitable description. "I can't really describe how she looks like, since the only time Isaac and I met her, we were all wearing hooded cloaks to protect ourselves from the rough winds and blowing sands. But I do know that she has really sea blue eyes though…" He suddenly sat up in his chair. "You know her?"

"Yes… yes, I think I do." A triumph look settled on her face as she continued. "Don't you know? I'm her so-called godmother."

Her counterpart was evidently shocked by the latest news; his mouth was hanging open as if he was on the verge of singing solo opera-style, his eyes wide open. "Y… you? A godmother?" Chuckles made their way as he smirked, but fortunately he was able to refrain and sustain his peals of laughter inside that were threatening to burst out in the middle of the crowd.

Rolling her eyes, Jenna continued. "I'll pass that statement for now. Like how you're Isaac's underrated godfather, I'm also Mia's young godmother. But anyway, if truly this Mia you are talking about is the Mia that I know, then something can be done… is it really true that the prince likes her?"

Garet shrugged. "He didn't tell me what was on his mind, but I could tell that he was interested in her. But if you're asking me further than that, then I really don't have a clue on it. There might be a possible chance that he would choose her as the lucky bride if she did come here though… she'll probably have quite a high percentage at being the lucky one. This Mia girl is really quite an interesting character; she isn't like those typical girls you see everywhere. She has a sad past too; it seems that she is quite badly treated by her stepfamily…" He looked at her curiously. "Don't you know anything about it?"

Placing her head on her upright hands on the table, Jenna shook her head decisively. "If anything happened to her, I wouldn't know about it; she was living in Prox far north, I in Vale here. It's been such a long time since I saw her… I think it's been around ten years or so. The last time I heard of her was when she was leaving Imil for Prox with her late father, whom later on I heard that he disappeared somehow mysteriously at seas, and it was later on taken for granted that he died out there." She frowned as a thought struck her. "But if you say that you've met her here in Vale, then why do you say 'if she comes here'? Isn't she coming?"

Garet sighed. "That's the problem. Her stepfamily is one of the high nobles in Prox, or so I heard from the villagers. But for all they're worth, she's being badly ill treated; they don't give her any nice clothes or anything moderate for all riches they have. In fact, she thought that I didn't notice it, but I saw patches of cloth sewn over her simple, old faded dress when the wind blew her cloak to the side. There's no way in hell that they'll let her come here. And if I'm not mistaken, I think I did see a few female Proxians just now at the dance floor, wearing red masks… it just might be them."

Jenna's face suddenly clouded as she spoke angrily, waves of anger sweeping up to her. "How on earth did she manage to get caught up in this horrible family? It must be because of Miguel… but how can they do this to her? If… if only I knew this sooner, I would have pulled her away from the clutches of these people, and sue them too!" Shaking her fist, she stood up as if she really meant to march up right to the stepfamily wherever they were and demand a confrontation.

Garet quickly pulled her down back. "Hey, calm down Jen… no use boiling up on these stuff that you can't do a thing on. But now that we're talking about her, do you think we can help her out in this one, and Isaac too?"

Pondering for a moment, the black cloud gradually disappeared, and a grin slowly formed on her red lips as she slowly spoke with caution. "Hmm… maybe we _can _do something… yes…yes, we can!" By now she was considerably excited, and any of her close acquaintances that knew her well would recognize her grin as that of a naughty, planning but innocent look. "I mean, we get to help poor Mia, and at the same time, we may be able to get Isaac a suitable mate without much trouble!"

A large grin was also spread on Garet's face. "Well, looks like we'll get things running, eh Jenna?"

"Oh yes, of course; we'll deal with this stepfamily properly. But we mustn't be overconfident though; I did hear from Ember a few months ago that there are perhaps a few Adepts among these Proxian people… we must take caution in our every move. In fact, I strongly suspect that Isaac is an Adept too, but he has not yet trained to summon and channel his Psynergy into focus. But as for Felix… he has the potential as a strong Earth Adept, but I never did get the chance to tell him about it. We never really did meet up as often as last time… especially since he became the head of the communication of Vale."

"I suppose he could be an Adept if he tried. Heh, now you're talking… but if anything were to go wrong, we can defend ourselves, can't we? After all, we're experienced Adepts, and we can just as easily ask our Djinn for any help we need."

"Yeah… luckily there's still some time to arrange things, since the party hasn't really started, but let's not tell Isaac of what we're doing, alright? Let it be a surprise for him!"

"Fine by me. So, got a plan ready yet?"

"More or less, but I'll need your opinion on it. Listen up carefully; here's the plan for tonight… we may even need the Djinn's help to speed things up…"

* * *

Author's Notes: Yes, done! I'm glad that I managed to put in more of Garet and Jenna's appearance here, and do try not to be too shock (if you are) by Jenna's role as the 'fairy godmother'…but then again, she isn't one in this fic.

Anyways, just a note to reviewers: Starting from the eleventh chapter onwards, I won't risk the chance of placing the review responses here, but instead, I'll send the reply directly as soon as possible by e-mail, since I think it's better and faster too. So just watch out for a mail coming from me for those of you who review! Thanks for all the support you've all given me so far!

Lots of thanks to:

Daidairo: As I've said, I'm really honored to receive your compliments…thank you!

GoldenSunGeek: As for prohibiting reviewer responses, one author suddenly stopped writing responses in the fic itself, since he said he received a scary e-mail warning him about it…I wonder.

Kd7sov: Now that's a good question…I myself didn't think about it really. But the solutions I can perhaps give is that either the steps only knew to recognize Djinn voices (since they're so different than humans I imagine), or they didn't know of the Djinn's existences until later on.

enigma4ever2020: Cerulean? I picked up the word from the Chrono Cross section; almost all of the authors there use it to describe Serge's hair and eyes colour.

Kodoku: Yep, more Djinn coming up soon…wait and see!

Spastic Djinn: Well, hopefully this chapter won't lower down your previous rating!

Eruruu: The ball's right up here already…how is it?

sweetmaiden: Yalah yalah, 'nice' part coming up soon…

Insanity Team! (A.k.a. Violet): Looks like I changed my mind on doing my FE fic first…yay!

One Who Rides On The Wind: Yeah, the party's getting started…and the party's getting merrier!

Princess Viv: Oh, am I just so glad to hear that Garet's portrayal wasn't messed up! And more Djinn 'round the corner!

Dauthi: Nah, I won't let this fic have a sad ending; I prefer happy ones. XD

Stay in tuned for Chapter 11: The Awaited Moment; Part 2!


	11. The Awaited Moment, Part 2

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

Golden Sun is the property of Camelot and Nintendo. At least I managed to finish this one before a month… yay!

* * *

Chapter 11: The Awaited Moment; Part 2

_Knock knock._

"Yes, who is it?"

"It's only me, sister. May I come in?"

"Ivan? Oh yes, of course. Hold on just a second."

Master Hama quickly rose from her seat in her small meditation room and opened the door, revealing a rather breathless Ivan standing at the doorway, wearing a black coat and pants with a white shirt underneath, and a red bow tie at the middle. She smiled warmly at the blond boy as she looked at her blood-related brother proudly, but soon to be replaced with a look of concern. "Ivan, you look tired… are you all right?"

Ivan shot a look of surprise to her. "Yeah, I'm fine… it's just that I was kind of rushing, looking after the final preparations before the whole event starts."

Hama shook her head slowly, a small smile still on her lips. "Still the same Ivan… so shouldn't you be at the ballroom now? Besides, you are already all dressed up for the night events…"

Ivan chuckled lightly, his deep violet eyes shining. "Yes, I am, but the old grandfather clock hasn't struck seven yet. I came here to look for you. How about you, sister? Shouldn't you be getting ready for the event too? You still haven't changed your clothes…"

"I'm still busy with my meditation," said Hama, frowning as she ran a hand through her short lavender hair, feeling slightly perplexed. "Every so often I get this feeling that Jupiter is trying to tell me something, something important… but there seems to be something unknown that blocks the connection, thus making it very difficult to concentrate further and speak to the spirits of the wind. It feels as though it is something that I cannot just leave and push out of my thoughts so easily."

The blonde glanced worriedly at his sister. "Is that why you've been cooping yourself up in this room lately?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so." She suddenly smiled. "But I feel that the barrier is getting weaker and weaker as I slowly but continuously try to push it away, so I should be able to reach the spirits soon… would you like to come inside and meditate with me, like a few days ago? You just might be able to reach the spirits and aid me." She gestured a hand.

"Okay… I'll do just that." Agreeing to her proposal, Ivan ventured into the small square room after his sister, his observant eyes scanning the dimly lighted room. "You know sister, even though I have entered this room numerous times, I have always felt this kind of mysterious and deep silence atmosphere of this room, yet I feel as though it radiates some kind of peaceful glow, and every time I come here I feel as though I am immediately rejuvenated… why is that?"

Master Hama sat down in her usual seat in the same position as she was a few minutes ago before, nodding her head with a big smile. "This is a good sign, Ivan. Many would feel the unusual atmosphere, but actually, few would be able to experience the feeling of rejuvenation… and I think you would be gladly interested to know that what we call by the name of Jupiter Adepts or Wind Adepts are only able to undergo this feeling."

Ivan's response was quick, his interest triggered as he sat down opposite Hama. "Jupiter Adepts? You mean human beings who have the special ability to control and manipulate the power of wind?"

"Yes. I see that you have not forgotten the teachings that I have taught you and Sheba the other day."

"But what does this feeling have to do with Jupiter Adepts?"

"You see Ivan, this—" She gestured the surroundings of the room with a slim hand. "No doubt you realize that this is my meditation room, the place where I meditate, connect, speak and feel the spirits of Jupiter itself within my very soul. Many would think that I sound ridiculous, but in my heart, this room is just as similar as to a sacred temple dedicated to Jupiter, a holy shrine. That is why I made the atmosphere such as it is now, and condition of the room only dimly lighted by old-fashioned candles. Only those that hold the power to the wind can feel this," she explained patiently.

Wide-eyed, Ivan swallowed the information thoughtfully, finding it a tad difficult to understand and believe. "Then… I'm a Wind Adept? That I can use the power of wind freely? And also able to enter others' thoughts and speak with the mind only?"

Master Hama smiled, reaching out a hand to pat his shoulder. "Yes. You might not have known this, but our family has been blessed with the power of Jupiter for many generations, and I am proud to own a brother such as you, Ivan, who also inherits our parents' legacy. Even though you have not much control over your power right now, the spirited power of the winds still run vigorously in your veins, and heart."

_My family members were also Jupiter Adepts? And I am one too… _Another thought struck Ivan. "But… but why didn't you tell me earlier then? You told me all about these Adepts and Djinn roughly about a month ago… why only now?"

"I wanted to test you, to see if you believed my words at that time. You did, even though you still had doubts about it. I wanted you to feel and relate the extraordinary feeling to me yourself slowly, and not force you. Besides, telling you a month ago would be perhaps not suitable, as I knew that you were quite occupied with tonight's event."

"I see…" Ivan looked down at his outstretched palms, his mind still in a whirl. _These hands… they hold the might of wind?_

Seeing his confusion, Hama hastened to subdue his daze. "Do not worry about this, Ivan. There is always time; I will teach you to gradually master this power slowly, no fear. But I see that we have sidetracked very much from our original purpose. We cannot delay the time much longer. Let us start our meditation." She smiled, her legs crossed, her eyes closed.

Mirroring his sister's actions, Ivan forced all wandering thoughts out of his mind, only focusing on his current task. He could hear his low, slow breathing in pace with his sister's in the silent room, slow and calm. Feeling a lovely wave of silent peace wash over his soul inside a moment later, his tensed muscles relaxed wholly, feeling at peace. Letting his inner mind leave his physical body, traveling far away, soaring through clear open space. Almost at once he could hear the faint sound of spirits harmlessly gliding, moving freely in the open space. Ivan inwardly smiled, knowing that he was making contact with his ancestors of Jupiter.

Suddenly, the spirits stopped in their slow movements as they crowded around him, all of them mumbled excitedly but with some kind of urgency. Ivan frowned. Their words were too soft and mumbled to be heard clearly. _Can sister hear them?_ They seemed to be going further and further away every split second, and he didn't think that it was just his wild imagination that _something_ seemed to be preventing them from nearing him.

_What… what is it that you are trying to tell me, spirits?_

A soft hush of voices replied. _D… dang… _

_Dan…? What is it? _

Before the wandering spirits could reply once more, a jolt of excruciating pain rushed through him, causing his eyes to snap open instantly as he broke his focus. A hiss of pain fell from his lips. His eyes landed on Master Hama and immediately he knew that she had faced the same trouble as he did. "I couldn't reach out to them in time… what was that?"

Hama shook her head, her left hand massaging her temple gently. "I do not know… that is the barrier that I told you I have been experiencing. A moment ago, I managed to barely pass through the barrier and make contact with the spirits. They were urgently trying to convey some sort of message to me, but before the message was complete, the barrier suddenly reappeared with full force and pushed me out, thus sending a electrifying jolt to the both of us," said the wise woman.

"So you did manage to hear out part of the message?"

The lavender-haired woman immediately looked grave, her face sullen. "Yes… but it bears negative news for us. It seems that something bad and dangerous will befall the royal family soon…"

Ivan held his breath, his eyes widened with shock and curiosity. "Bad? But… but how soon?" he inquired.

Hama sighed. "That I do not know… unfortunately, we were cut off before the spirits could enlighten me further. Who, what and when will it happen is still much as a mystery. It is all very puzzling and worrisome."

"Yes…" A horrifying thought struck Ivan. "… Do you think that it will happen tonight of all times? It would be so typical for someone to scheme a plan to spoil the royal family's plans…" he asked worriedly.

Master Hama cocked her head thoughtfully, frowns creasing her forehead. "That is true, but it may just as well not happen tonight of all nights… but in all costs, it is quite essential that we do not alarm the royal family of this. It would only cause an terrific uproar, and it would be indeed very troublesome if our thoughts were wrong."

"So, you're trying to say that all we can do right now is to watch out for this 'evil' in case it happens?" Ivan spoke incredulously.

"Yes, I'm afraid that it is the only thing we can do right now… I only pray to Jupiter that our instincts are proven wrong and all goes well tonight."

* * *

"Well, I guess the best thing to do for now is to walk—no, run the whole way there as fast as I can. If luck is with us, I'll still barely make it." 

Mia's voice was clear and determined, speaking much more confidently than she actually felt deep down. The aqua-haired young woman rose from her chair rather unsteadily, still clothed in the same daily beggar clothes that she wore a year ago. A lump formed at her throat as she looked down upon herself in sadness; her mother would have been, indeed, very disappointed and tearful of her bedraggled appearance. _How would I be able to face all the looks, shame and scorn thrown to me in the palace by those nobles later on and still maintain a sense of dignity and pride, I wonder… but it's a bit too early to say that yet. _

"Are you doubly sure about this, Mia?" Fizz asked, the Mercury djinn hopping over to her shoulder.

"Quite sure, Fizz. Though I honestly doubt that it'll work, you have to admit that it's the only way, and you can bet a million gil that I wouldn't sit and relax here without doing anything helpful and productive after knowing so much. Too much, in fact," said Mia, smiling grimly.

Spritz sighed. "True, true… then you'd better rush off now, 'cause it's almost seven already!"

"Yup, and don't worry about your stupid 'chores', Mia; we three will take care of all those while waiting for you to come back. Right, Serac?"

Serac paused for a while before speaking. "You know, I think it would be much better if at least one of us accompanied Mia to the palace. I mean, we do have our own different abilities than each other, and she might need some sort of protection if the steps really are Adepts who have some experience," she explained.

Mia sighed heavily. "Oh… for one moment I'd almost forgotten that they were most probably Adepts… but who—"

Before the female Mercury Adept could ask further, a heavy gust of wind suddenly blew in the room. This was an extremely surprising strange occurrence, for in the first place, there was only a medium-sized window at the left-hand side of the room, but shut tight at that, making the room quite hot and stuffy. Plastics and lightweight items were carried into the air by the strong wind, flying in all directions.

"W… what is this?" Mia spluttered out, her tied long aqua hair flying wildly. Looking at the Djinn for perhaps a suitable explanation with understandable fear, she was baffled when they didn't move an inch, seemingly rooted to the ground.

"This is…" Fizz spoke with uncertainty in her tiny squeaky voice.

"Hey! That's…" Spritz and Serac exclaimed excitedly in unison.

Much to Mia's amazement, suddenly hundreds of small circles of white, yellow, light pink and sky blue seemed to materialize everywhere in the minute room amidst the heavy wind. Mia could not think of what they exactly were; they were perhaps too bright to be stars (and Luna had not descended fully yet anyway), yet it was out of the question to consider them as small fireflies; fireflies were certainly not of such colours. A lovely yet mystical sight. She could only stare ambiguously at the colorful sight with a mixture of wonder, curiosity and shock as the hundreds of circles slowly grouped together in the middle of the room, forming a certain familiar blurry shape. Two shapes, in fact…

"Hu… humans?" Mia squeaked out.

True enough, two human beings materialized from those 'circles'. As soon as the light and gusty wind mysteriously faded, it was easy for Mia to look at their physical appearances. She gaped in wonder, covering her mouth as long-lost recognition hit her. She would have never expected to meet _her _again in person, especially at this time after so long… she couldn't believe it.

"S… sister Jenna?"

* * *

_Meanwhile, in the palace of Vale… _

"Excuse me… hey!"

"Oh, my greatest apologies. I'm so sorry for stepping on your foot, milady."

"No, no, that's all right. It was my fault for rushing through this crowd anyway."

"Very well then, if you put it that way. You do seem to be in quite a hurry, milady…"

"Yes… yes, I am. Now if you'll excuse me…"

A rather exasperated Sheba skipped through the crowd in the fastest pace she could ever muster without accidentally lunging at the many couples and guests. Many guests had already arrived before seven, and so many more were arriving, that for a wild moment she almost wondered whether the huge ballroom had enough space to occupy all of them. Her sharp green eyes (surrounded by her dark green eye-mask) swept through the large crowd quickly, looking for any of her friends in view. She spotted a brunette a slight ways off and immediately hurried over, hailing him as she did so.

"Felix!"

The brunette in question spun around. A small smile graced his face as Sheba walked up to him as fast as she could in her long evening dress. It was a simple but exquisite dress made of deep violet shades, thus contrasting with her blond hair framing her face. It had a soft white silk collar, followed by a lovely bodice and fluffy white sleeves at the end, a smart white sash tied in a ribbon at her waistline and a blooming layer skirt reaching until her ankles. It most definitely suited Sheba's direct and simple tastes, or so Felix thought.

"You look positively fine tonight, Sheba."

The blonde smiled, her eyes scanning his own posh-black suit and black mask. His hair still maintained the same style as always; unlike some men, he never really did concern himself much with his hair. "Thanks, Felix. I'm glad that I chose this dress, since I could move in it comfortably without any difficulty. And you look great too," she smiled, her previous annoyance lessening.

"Thanks. You seem agitated… are you looking for someone?" Felix inquired, his dark brown eyes taking note of her actions.

"Ah yes, that I am. Have you seen Ivan, Garet or Jenna? I've been looking for them for the past ten minutes and if I don't see their faces in the next few minutes, I'm seriously going to think that they've vanished into thin air and disappeared into another universe altogether," Sheba huffed as she spoke almost sarcastically.

Shrugging his shoulders lightly, Felix threw her an amused look. "I'm afraid I haven't seen either of them too; in fact, I was looking out for my sister too… I have no idea where she has gone. But then again, it isn't easy to look for anyone in the midst of this big crowd. They just might be hanging around somewhere…"

"Well, if it's that way then Ivan better show up soon, because His Highnesses King Kyle and Queen Dora will appear soon, and then it'll be an uproar if Ivan isn't there to launch his opening speech! We're supposed to have a duel speech to welcome the guests. Besides, he did promise me that he would help me with the props and last-minute preparations, along with Jenna's help… and Jenna said that she'd pull Garet in too no matter what he said, busy or not busy." Sheba half-grinned at that.

Felix chuckled at the thought; his sister was a real mad-driver if she wanted to be. After so long, the protective brother had finally managed to 'accept' Garet as to what Jenna called 'one of the family' by and by, but not without much difficulty trying to cope with the fact that his sister actually loved the 'idiotic-clumsy-oaf' (as he used to describe him in the last times) to a certain extent ever since a few years ago. Despite Garet's sheer idiocy at times, he was loyal to his friends, and he was, undoubtedly, cheerful, caring (though in a clumsy way), brave and courageous. There was no doubt at all that Garet was quite the fine man in his own ways; Felix had admitted grudgingly that he was one of the best suitors his sister could have as a life-partner. Now then, if he had been told that a few years back… definitely a different story altogether.

"Well, to speak of the devil, there's Ivan!"

Sheba's clear excited voice penetrated Felix's thoughts, causing him to snap out of his reverie immediately. "Huh?"

Waving a hand, Sheba called out as loud as she could without attracting too much attention. "Hey Ivan! Over here!"

At the entrance of the ballroom, the blond boy looked left and right before settling his violet eyes on Sheba and Felix, and then he started towards them hurriedly, feeling rather breathless. "Did you call me, Sheba?"

The girl in question placed her hands on her waist and threw him an annoyed look. "Where were you, Ivan? You suddenly disappeared five minutes ago without even telling me where did you go! I just had to search high and low for you, and even then, I still couldn't find you at that…"

Ivan scratched his head awkwardly. "Oh… sorry about that Sheba, I forgot to tell you where I was going before I left. I just visited my sister a few minutes in the meditation room." Here his violet eyes glinted, remembering the events that happened to him and Master Hama minutes ago. "While meditating, we discovered… something very important, and I guess we didn't notice how time just flew by…"

"Something very important? Is it bad, or good?" Felix inquired suspiciously at once, pouncing on Ivan's doubt.

Ivan shook his head negatively. "According to my sister, it seems to be a bad 'premonition', but I'll tell you guys more about it later on, okay? My time is almost up; we got carried off the time. I'm needed on the stage pretty soon, so we'll meet up somewhere later on. All I can say is, just keep an eye on whoever and whatever that's happening around here for any troubles that you think might arise later on."

Sheba cocked an eyebrow, her instincts roused. "Troubles? You mean something dangerous might occur tonight?"

"I don't know… I sincerely hope not, but stay alert just in case. Oh, and keep this to yourselves. Don't alarm the royal family of this, okay? We wouldn't want to cause a false alarm and ruin the whole night…"

"Right. If anything happens, I'll inform you guys at once." Felix assured his comrades determinedly, his face grave and serious.

Referring to the majestic grandfather clock, he gave a start when he noticed the hour and minute hand of the clock pointing five minutes to seven. He quickly turned to Sheba. "Almost seven. Let's go, Sheba."

Another thought struck the blonde. "But how about Jenna and Garet? I still haven't seen them anywhere… wouldn't you like to warn them too? And how about the props?"

"Don't worry about that; I heard that the rest of the crew fixed all of those. As for Garet and Jenna, I'm sure they'll appear sooner or later; but we've got our own responsibilities to tend to for now. We'll leave it up to Felix here to find and inform them; that all right with you, Felix?" Ivan grinned.

"You can count on me," was the stoic man's assuring answer.

Sheba shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever you say then." She glanced up at tall Felix and smiled lightly. "See you later then, Felix," she waved her other free hand towards him as she disappeared into the crowd, led by the prince of Vale's future advisor.

Well, at least she _had_ Ivan with her now… though she still wondered where in the world Garet and Jenna had disappeared to…

* * *

Mia stepped forward in a half-daze to touch her young godmother, an act to convince herself that she was really there, and not some spooky phantom being. "Is… is that you, sister Jenna? Really you?" 

Still in her evening ball dress, Jenna peeled off her maroon eye-mask, handed it over to her male companion beside her who kept it in his breast pocket, and hugged Mia enthusiastically. "Mia, it really _is _you! I'm so glad to see you! You've really grown so much; the last time I saw you, you were only barely ten years old!" she exclaimed.

The male stranger chuckled heartily, decidedly very much amused by Jenna's actions. "Hey Jenna, you sound so mushy and all that when you say that, you know. I'd never thought you'd be so ecstatic over this."

Jenna frowned. "Well, now you know. And mushy is not the right word. Still confused over your vocabulary, eh?"

Mia pulled away from the hug and glanced at the male stranger suspiciously. "You know, you seem somehow oddly familiar too… that spiky red hair… and that voice… where—" She suddenly gasped. "Garet?"

Grinning broadly, the spiky redhead removed his red and black-striped mask. "Yup, you got me there. Glad to see you again, Mia."

"That hair… it should be officially announced as your trademark. I should think anyone would be able to recognize Garet from a mile away," Jenna mused.

Garet chuckled, but he suddenly gave a start when his fiery eyes suddenly caught sight of the three unwavering Djinn on the floor. "Hey! Aren't they--"

Before Garet could continue his unfinished sentence, suddenly two small circles of red light emitted from his body, radiating a welcoming warm aura. To Mia's astonishment, the circles took on the forms of small, tiny creatures that were all red in colour, head, tails and all; except for a pair of blue orbs for the eyes and a yellow chest. Popping out from Garet's shoulders, those two enigma creatures excitedly hopped down onto the floor and scampered up to the other three Mercury djinn, where they all immediately launched into excited squeaks, gamboling around the floor.

"Hiya Fizz, Spritz, Serac! Still looking the same eh? Wait a minute, what am I saying? You guys always look the same anyway!"

"Oh my god, I can't believe it's you guys! Especially you, Fizzy-coke!"

"Hey! Don't mess with my name! My name is purely original!"

"Forge? Fury? That really you?"

"Well, of course! Who do you think it is, man? No other djinn named after us you know!"

"Boy, am I so glad to see you guys again! It's been far, FAR too long! I can't believe it!"

"Hey, hey, don't get so mushy on me, Fury. You'll be crying fire tears next, for all I know."

"… Hold on a sec! Does that mean that the clan feud between us opposing elements is over?"

"… Oh yeah, I totally forgot about that! Ah, who cares about that anyway; that was fifteen years ago!"

"Fine with me. Hey, how about the rest? Aren't there more of you?"

"Oh yeah, that's right. Granite, Quartz, Ground, Bane, Echo, Petra and Geode are here too; we're with our master, you see. But they're all sleepin' and snorin', those sleepyheads. And you know, that hotheaded vampiress-looking chick over there has nine other djinn too! Cool, ain't it?"

Suddenly, a loud feminine cough broke through the djinn's ecstatic conversation. All five Djinn, and including a speechless Garet and Mia, looked over towards a fuming Jenna, whose cough originated from.

Jenna's eyebrow twitched, her mouth in a malicious smile as she stepped closer to the djinn, speaking politely but on very thin string. "Now then, which one of you just called me a **'hotheaded vampiress-looking chick' **again? Oh no, don't worry, it's not like I'm gonna hurt you or something, you know?" She smiled evilly, her words betraying her tone.

All five djinn squeaked in fear. "Uh… um, we're sorry?"

Sighing heavily, Garet placed a hand on Jenna's left shoulder. "Just leave it for now, Jen. Don't forget why we came here; we don't really have much time anymore, you know." Turning to a baffled Mia, he smiled apologetically. "Sorry for all that… disturbance, Mia. Anyways, I'll just make a brief introduction: These two are what we call Mars Djinn, and it's up to you to believe me or not, but Jenna here and I are Adepts like you too, though we're of the opposite element; Fire. And yes, Jenna and I do know each other, we're childhood friends, in fact. So yeah, big coincidence I guess."

Mia stumbled into a chair, still feeling slightly groggy and muddled, her three djinn following suit as they sat on her lap. "Oh…" She managed a small smile towards the two Mars djinn that were looking at her with newfound interest. "I… I think there is a lot to discuss, so why don't the both of you take a seat on the bed." Smiling apologetically, she gestured to the bed. "I'm sorry for the messy condition in here, and there isn't enough chairs really, but this room is not exactly what you would call large enough to suit three people."

"Oh no, it's perfectly all right; I've heard from Garet how nasty your stepfamily can be," Jenna assured her 'godchild' as she sat herself down gingerly beside Garet on the bed. By now, Garet had called back the two Mars djinn, Forge and Fury, and they disappeared in the same way they had appeared a few minutes ago obediently, much to Mia's amusement.

Noting her raggedy worn-out clothes, Jenna couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the grown-up young woman. Life had looked so bright for her ten years ago in Imil… "I know there are many things for you to absorb all of a sudden right now, Mia, and you're most probably feeling pretty muddled right now, so if you have any questions; so shoot out whatever you want to ask and we'll try to answer quickly without wasting too much time," she spoke in a businesslike way.

Sighing in relief, Mia noted that at least her godmother still understood her feelings even after the long lapse. She couldn't help but feel a tad envious when she compared Jenna's lovely scarlet maroon ball gown with her own beggar-like clothes, easily a thousand times more 'posh' than hers. Putting that thought aside, she quickly sorting out the many questions that she wanted to ask in her mind and asked hesitatingly. "I… okay, first thing first; how did you know that I'm an… an Adept?" Frankly speaking, she still did not believe the whole thing a hundred percent; but with the whole turn of events, it looked like it was for real. She had to know more about it.

Smiling encouragingly, Jenna replied, "I can feel the light aura of water around you. You see, experienced Adepts like Garet and I are able to tell who is an Adept and who isn't, but even so, we can only tell in a very near distance. And it's even easier to recognize an Adept user if their element is opposite than ours, which definitely applies in this case. Besides, your hair is blue." Taking Mia's hand in hers, she smiled comfortingly. "You can trust us, Mia. We wouldn't lie to you."

Fizz cut in eagerly, waving her cute tail to and fro. "And if you can't believe her, you can surely believe us, Mia! I'd never lie to you after so long knowing you, right?"

Mia nodded as she smiled, all of the information sinking in. _At least that one's cleared up… _"Right… so how exactly did you manage to… appear so suddenly here? What was all those white, yellow, pink and blue circles and stuff?"

This time, Garet answered with a grin on his face. "That was my doing, Mia. Those circles thing and how we came here is Psynergy. You know what's Psynergy, right?" When Mia nodded in affirmation, he continued, "Well, certain Adepts have their own unique abilities. For instance, Fire Adepts like us can cast Psynergies like Fire, whereas Water Adepts like you can cast water-based Psynergies like Douse and such. And Teleport is one of my Psynergies that I possess control over. As for those circles, I um… well, I'm not too sure about that too, but some people say that those circles are actually part of us really; something like we… er, 'dissolve' into those things, and when we reach our destination, the circles will group together and we'll be whole again, like what you've seen. But I'm not too sure about that theory though… come to think of it, we never do question those kind of stuff, it's just that way."

"Hey, wait a minute! I thought Teleport couldn't be used to travel from one place to a totally different place!" Serac interrupted, his curiosity roused as the conversation went on. Beside her, Spritz nodded vigorously, the djinni's head bobbing up and down.

"Well, yes, usually it's not possible to Teleport from one place to another totally different place altogether, but luckily we were able to do it."

"Wow, not bad skills, eh? And I thought you were the dumb one…" Being slightly sarcastic at times, Serac was also known to be blunt and direct.

"Serac!" Fizz and Spritz quickly hushed up their friend, looking at her reproachfully.

"Hey! I heard that! Well, I know that I'm not very smart and all that, but you don't need to rub it in, alright?" Garet exclaimed indignantly. "Geez… some djinn just love to blabber whatever they like…" he muttered under his breath.

"Oops… sorry, buddy."

Shaking her head helplessly at their antics, Mia decided that the best course of action was to just ignore both of them. "So, you're trying to say that you two teleported here? All the way from… er, the palace, I presume?"

"Yeah, that's right. When I heard all about your difficulties, I straightaway demanded that we teleport right over here and see what we can do," Jenna explained, her eyes brazen. "The cheek of your stepfamily to do all that to you!"

"But wait a minute, how did you know this was my room?"

Garet grinned, his humour once more restored. "Thank our Djinn for that. I gather you have already heard of the djinn's past from your djinn?"

"Yes, I did. Fizz said that their home was burned down and destroyed; all of them broke up since then, though there was a plan to meet up again… right?"

"Yep, right." The djinni in question confirmed that statement with a brief nod.

Jenna nodded. "Yeah, and did you know that the plan to 'meet up again' is around this time, and the meeting place is actually Vale itself?"

"**What**?" All three of Mia's djinn gasped in unison.

"But… why didn't we know about this?" Spritz asked timidly.

Fizz's yellow orbs glowed. "Maybe it was too late to tell us. If I still remember correctly, our Mercury side is on the west wing of our home, at the furthest end. The majority must have decided the meeting place and time at the last minute, most probably even at that time when our home was obliterated. It was well past midnight when it happened, remember? If there was a quick message before our whole home exploded and before we all scattered everywhere, we would have been too far away to get it. We djinn even barely had the time to escape."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Fizz…" Mia spoke softly, her hand caressing her djinn's head.

Shaking her head decisively, Serac half-grinned. "Nah, it's alright; it was game over long time ago. You're really lucky to have come here coincidentally, ya know Fizz. Spritz and I myself were pretty lucky to land right in Vale."

"True, true."

Seeing that it was time for him to continue, Garet willingly obliged. "Anyway, what with those djinn scattered around town and outskirts of Vale, it was actually quite easy to get bits of rumors and information everywhere. And since one of our djinn reported that there were a few djinn hiding out in the inn, we figured out that it could only be you taking care of them, since Jenna here did tell me that your mother side of the family were also Adepts."

"Really?" Mia half-smiled wistfully, remembering the good old times when she was still in Imil, happily playing with the snow when winter descended, along with her brothers Picard and Alex… _I wonder where are they now… I miss all of them so much._ Shaking her head, she focused on the current matter at hand. "Speaking of the djinn, how did your djinn appear out of nowhere from your body too, Garet?"

"Oh, that," Garet smiled sheepishly, scratching his head absently. "Uh… let's see… how do I explain?"

Rolling her eyes, Jenna came to his rescue. "Djinn aid us by way of becoming 'one' with its master. They… er, sort of combine with us, so if they come out, most likely they'll pop out on your shoulder with a bright light. Usually, there's no specifications of which djinni belongs to who; we can easily switch djinn at any time to our own likings, tastes, and sometimes the current situation affects it too," Jenna explained, smiling faintly.

"So… any other questions before we proceed?"

"Well, there are many things I would like to ask, but I guess now's not the proper time… looks like I'll have to catch up the news after all these long years with you, sister Jenna, some other time."

Now his turn to roll his eyes, Garet sighed. "All silly girl talk… now, let's get on with our plan, Jen."

"Right-o. Anyways, Mia, before we start off, I'd like to tell you that we came here to bring you directly to the palace; Garet here told me that you wanted to very much, but you couldn't afford it, what with your stepfamily making it all the more worse."

Shaking her head, Mia corrected, "I do want to go very much, but there is another important reason why I need to go there."

"Huh? Important? What's that?" asked Garet, his fighter instincts roused as he leaned forward curiously. Jenna only raised her eyebrow in confusion.

Not able to contain her mouth any longer, Spritz squeaked excitedly, "They want to poison the prince's mind!"

That statement created an immediate and effective response, much to Spritz's delight. Both Garet and Jenna's eyes widened, Jenna's hands gripping the bed sheets tightly as they both chorused, "WHAT?"

"Yes, unfortunately it's true," Mia nodded sadly as she continued, "It seems that they want to manipulate the prince in choosing one of them as his bride-to-be by administering some kind of potion called 'Death Potion'. By manipulating him, they will be in one of the highest positions ever, one of the richest and most powerful; and they will be able to rule Vale."

"Are you really sure about this, Mia?"

"No, regretfully I'm more than a hundred percent sure. No mistake."

Muttering curses under his breath, Garet made an effort to calm himself down, the mere thought of some stranger manipulating his best friend was so outrageous. Jenna gasped in horror, her face drawn pale by the news. "By Mars…"

"At that time, we were the only ones that knew of their plans, so it was extremely vital for me to warn the prince of it. Anyway, we tried substituting the 'Death Potion' with ordinary water, but I think they're smarter than that; they probably keep other vials of it somewhere in person. And… well, actually I _could _go to the party ball, but to cut things short, my stepfamily spoiled all of my plans, so to speak. You can already see how bad is it in my room," Mia spoke between gritted teeth, her knuckles already turning almost a deathly white as she curled her hand into a tight fist.

"Then we need to warn Isaac quickly before they get ahead of us!" Garet quickly stood up, ready to teleport back in an instant to warn his friend.

Once Jenna got hold of her own bearings, she pulled the fuming redhead back down. "Hold on, Garet… this is indeed very bad news; we need to keep the stepfamily away from him, but we can't just rush in without calm planning first." A thought struck her as she asked, "Are you stepfamily Adepts too?"

Before Mia could give an answer, Fizz immediately took the cue, seeing a chance for her to speak. "Yeah, they're Fire Adepts like you guys. At least, we're quite sure of the sisters 'cause we could feel their aura, and besides, their hair were all bloody red. We didn't get to confirm with the stepmother though."

Glancing at Fizz and Spritz questioningly for confirmation, the fiery young woman was satisfied when she received confident nods as response. Thinking thoughtfully, Jenna threw a knowing glance towards Garet who took it casually. "I see… I expected that, but still, I hoped that it'd be easier…" Turning towards her companion, she inquired, "What's the time now?"

"Fifteen minutes past seven," was his only reply.

Smoothing the small creases on her red and purple dress self-consciously, Jenna pursed up her lips. "Already late… but never mind. Now that I know the graveness of the situation, we have to improvise our plans a great deal, Garet. Anyway, before we venture off any further, do you know how to cast Psynergy, Mia?"

Interrupting the conversation once again, Serac helpfully answered the question. "No, Mia doesn't. We didn't teach her how to control it; well, at least Spritz and I didn't for the past two weeks. Fizz?"

Shaking her head regretfully, Fizz replied, "Mia was always busy the whole time at Prox there from day till night, and I didn't want to disturb her about this kind of stuff when she's all tired out, if you know what I mean."

Jenna nodded her head understandingly. "Either way, it's fine. You see, Mia, since your steps are Adepts, they might try to harm you if they're that desperate. We don't know for sure what they are capable of, so I think that it'll be better if you bring all three of your djinn along to the palace for safe protection."

"Yeah, I suggested that idea too!" Serac squealed, beaming.

"Oh… but how am I going to bring my djinn along?" Mia asked, her eyebrows furrowed. Things were getting much more serious that she actually thought… she never thought her life would seem so much at risk, and she never thought that she would be involved in the Adepts' circle. For one bare moment the young woman began to doubt her 'quest', but immediately she mentally slapped herself; she had begun the whole thing to stop them herself; she could not back off now! She had to go on until the end…

"Easy; let them become one with you. They'll make you stronger too, so you just might be able to cast a Psynergy or two," Garet finished simply.

"But first, you need to something about these djinn. Now, put it this way; any djinn can aid its master in two ways: one, they empower us with their power, thus making us physically and mentally stronger. By becoming one with its master, the Adept is able to unleash any of the djinn whenever he or she wants to."

"Another way," Jenna continued, "is by way of summoning. Summons are certain creatures that are very powerful; but they can only be summoned if you have enough djinn to do so." Pausing to catch her breath, Jenna leaned forward with a curious glint in her eye. "I'm sure that you have heard the legends foretelling the almighty goddess of rainbows, Iris? Or maybe the old myths of the boatman of the river Styx, the deadly Charon?"

Mia uttered a loud gasp, her aqua eyes widening as she took it all in. She _had _heard of them before from her late mother during her young days; Saya used to relate those well-known myths and legends to her young child as her favourite bedtime stories at night, and even in her young adulthood age now, Mia still had not forgotten one bit of them. How did she so love to hear her mother telling her those fascinating tales! As a happy child once, she had personally liked the tales of Nereid, the princess of the sea spirits deep in the sea; Atalanta, the famous heavenly huntress dwelling among the clouds high above, charming all of its prey; and especially the story of Iris, the goddess of rainbows, the guide of all souls through dimensions. And how she shivered when she heard the tales of Catastrophe, whose name struck fear deep down, the absolute embodiment of destruction, assassinating all that dared to disobey him with just one mighty flash of its sword! _I never thought that they were for real… do all of these creatures really exist?_

"Mia?" Fizz jumped up and down on Mia's lap, breaking her reverie at once.

"Huh? Oh… sorry, guess I got carried away a little," Mia explained, smiling at the two Fire Adepts. "So you're trying to say that all these creatures can be summoned using the djinn's power?"

"Exactly," Jenna agreed, "but not only will the summons require the djinn's combined power, it also requires the will and strength of the Adept to call upon it and sustain the toll that it will take."

"So, we become one with Mia now?" Spritz chirped in, eager to be of help.

"Yeah, I guess so…" Looking at Mia once more encouragingly, Jenna continued, "Don't worry, nothing bad will happen. Just close your eyes and sit still; let them be with you, Mia. You might just feel a little dizzy afterwards, but it's only natural since it's your first time."

Nodding to the awaiting djinn with a smile, Mia braced herself for it, though she unconsciously tensed as she shut her eyes. Moments later, she felt a warm hand placed gently atop her own, telling her to relax. Suddenly, a warm light began gracing her, slowly enveloping her, making the aqua-haired woman enjoy its warmth. A few distinctive but distant murmurs of words reached her ears as the light gradually disappeared in her. _We'll protect you, Mia._

Opening her eyes, Mia somehow unconsciously noticed a slight change in herself. She could not place it, but she felt somewhat… more at peace? Alert? Stronger? No, she thought, _rejuvenated_ would probably be the best word to use; she felt a strange deep power surging through her like enormous waves, and somehow it made her calm and relaxed, but also alert at the same time. _So this is how it feels like… not too bad, I guess. _She smiled slightly.

"Are you alright, Mia?"

Adjusting her eyes to the dim light, she looked up and realized that it was none other but Garet whom had placed his hand on hers to calm her down a minute ago. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm not really dizzy or anything; but it all feels quite… rejuvenating."

Jenna smiled happily. "Great to hear that, Mia. If you're in a tight spot, don't be afraid to unleash that power within you; even though you're not trained in Psynergy, at least you'll be able to channel just even a little bit of it."

_Hey, it's been so long since I've felt this warm! _She could hear Spritz excitedly squeaking inside her, making her widen her smile. 

_Heh heh, you sound as if you've never been in this situation, Spritz. _Serac responded dryly.

_Don't worry about them, Mia. We're always ready. _Fizz's soothing echoed lightly in her head. Smiling, she whispered back a 'thank you' silently.

Not able to sustain the waiting any longer, Garet began pacing left and right anxiously. "Right, so now that we're all ready and done, can we teleport back at once now? I'm really starting to worry about Isaac, you know. Another five minutes gone already!"

"Men! Always so impatient." Sighing, Jenna shook her head. "I'm just so glad that we came along, Mia. All this while, we didn't think that the situation would be so bad; we just thought that it'd be an extreme delight for you if we helped you out to the ball so that you would be able to enjoy yourself there, and nothing further than that. But are you ready to do this, Mia?"

Before Mia could say anything, Garet's djinni, Forge, suddenly made another appearance on Garet's shoulder again with a flash of light and blurted out, "Hey, why don't you two just teleport back and tell this Isaac person yourselves about the whole plan, since you already know the current situation? Ya can't really expect her to go, you know. For one thing, she doesn't have any clothes to go with, and for another, this Isaac doesn't really know her, so he might find it hard to believe whatever she would say, right? Since you're his so-called 'godfather', why don't you tell him, Garet?"

"Hey! That's already twice you've come out without my permission!" Garet tapped Forge smartly on the head.

Mia couldn't believe her ears, staring wide-eyed at the spiky redhead. "W… what? You? The prince's godfather?"

Smiling sheepishly at Mia, Garet replied, "Well, yeah. Like how Jenna here is your godmother, I'm Isaac's godfather." He made an exaggerated bow. "So _very _pleased to meet you, Dame Mia."

"And to think I met part of royalty on the streets!" she laughed. Turning back at Forge smilingly, Mia shook her head. "What you say is true, Forge, but I really must go. This was, after all, my own decision to start all of this; I can't just let others do it for me while I just lazy around behind the scenes, doing nothing. If I can't convince the prince, then at least Garet can back me up. I _must _do something. But thanks for your consideration though, Forge."

"Besides, Forge," Jenna smiled with a glint in her eye, "our original plans must still come in, you know! I've got my own objectives to reach too, remember? No Mia, no go!"

"Fine, up to you guys then," he chuckled, bouncing on Garet's shoulder. "You know, maybe you should act more like Mia, Garet. With your style, maybe you'll find one day all of your djinn deserting you for her since she does know how to say 'thank you' appreciatively, rather than your gruffy 'thanks' all of the time." The Mars djinn grinned at his joke as he vanished.

"Why that—"

"Oh, stop it, Garet. We're already late, and you still want to squabble with your djinn? Funny. Besides, haven't you forgotten that we promised to help Sheba with the props and all that? She's probably wondering where on Mars are we now… you'd better apologize to her when we meet her, understand?"

"Hey! Why only me apologize? You should say sorry too; you were the one who said that you'd help her out, AND you pulled me in!"

"Ah, who cares about those trivial stuff? When the time comes then we'll see about it, okay?"

"Women… I'll never get to understand them," he muttered under his breath.

"B—but wait, am I going there wearing this?" Mia asked anxiously, her eyes on her current plain clothes. "It's not that I mind that much really, but…"

"Oh yeah, how could I forget!" Jenna slapped her forehead, sighing at her own forgetfulness. "Don't worry about that, Mia. I know what you mean; honestly, I wouldn't be able to face all of those nobles if I came up there, behaving like normal when everything with me obviously isn't. I'll fix you up straightaway in no time, no fear."

"Straightaway? But how? I don't see any clothes with you…" asked a bewildered Mia.

Winking mischievously, Mia's godmother turned to Garet. "Pass it over to me, will you?"

Raising an eyebrow, Garet replied, "Huh?" Then realization hit him, and then he grinned. "Oh yeah, it's right here." Reaching out into his breast pocket, he handed over a thin silver-colored glittering wand with the length of approximately ten inches, adorned with a shining yellow star at the end to Jenna.

Noticing Mia's unbelieving stare, Jenna grinned as she took the wand from him, waving it gaily in the air. "Cute, isn't it? My djinn found it by accident only a few days ago. They told me that it has some kind of unknown 'magic' in it," she smirked. "I didn't believe their words at first, but then I tried it out once, and now I do believe in it. Think me potty all you like, but my eyes don't lie to me."

"Magic?" Mia asked further, her tone sounding on the cynical side. Not like she didn't trust her godmother though; she just found it hard to believe such a thing that had no really logical sense in it; well, perhaps the Adepts matter were not so believable too, but she _had _seen the proof… was there no end to enigmatic and incomprehensible matters? Maybe everything is just an illusion, someone pulling thick wool over her eyes… now, that sounds even crazier than ever, she thought.

"Yes, sounds pretty childish, doesn't it? Sounds as if it's something from those fairytale lands. But I assure you that it's completely real; even Garet had to believe me after what he saw. I'll show you. But first, please stand up, Mia."

Obliging the instruction given, Mia readily stood up, her unwavering gaze still on the peculiar wand. _What can it do?_ As her aqua eyes wandered around for a second, she noticed that Jenna's male companion had stopped pacing for the moment, his attention now focused on Jenna's actions as a wide grin marked his face.

Jenna herself seemed as though she was almost on the verge of grinning idiotically, though Mia was clueless as to what for. Raising the wand, Jenna stepped closer to Mia. "You'd be surprised, I promise you. In fact, I could almost say that Garet practically jumped out of his skin when I showed an example to him," she laughingly said.

Before Mia could react, Jenna lowered down her hand and tapped the wand lightly on her clothes.

"Change."

* * *

Author's Notes: Yeah, it's not much of a cliffhanger, but I just had to stop it here, otherwise it'd be far too long if I continued, due to all of the explanations and plans. I know that there isn't much action or stuff in this chapter, but you can expect that to come more or less in Chapter 13. Things are getting pretty boiled up!

Thank you for all of the reviews and support! Ah yes, and since I couldn't get to respond to the following reviews, I'd like to say thanks through here:

Kodoku: I thought you had a fanfiction account named 'kodoku433' or something; that's how you got my alerts, right?

Insanity Team! (A.k.a. Violet): Lol… I'm glad you're still on with this fic!

GoldenSunGeek: You hid your e-mail address in your profile; so I couldn't send you a reply… and thanks for the definition of cerulean.

Review and drop by any suggestions or comments that you'd like to make!


	12. When the Tides Clash

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

* * *

Chapter 12: When The Tides Clash

The enormous kitchen of Vale was most probably one of the busiest places that existed in the whole town of Vale that night. Professional trained chefs industriously cooked mouth-watering, delectable dishes while servant maids busied themselves by running on necessary errands shouted by the people in charge. Heavy smoke was lingering in the air, making the room extremely hot and stifling.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, a voice was speaking to the headwaiter. "Sir, here's the new replacement for Albert."

"Albert? Oh, you mean the one that suddenly disappeared today mysteriously?"

"Yes, sir. It's as if he's been kidnapped, sir—"

The headwaiter waved away the suggestion irritably. "Nonsense. Who and why would anyone kidnap someone who couldn't hurt a fly like him?"

"That's the question, sir. Seeing as we still haven't been able to trace him for some odd reason, and what with today being a busy day for us and all . . ."

"Of course, of course. So you're the new replacement, huh?"

A husky voice replied. "Yes, sir."

"Hmm . . . you don't look like the good type I'd hire, but we've got no time to be picky."

The new waiter smirked. "No, sir."

"Now get going and busy yourself; we've not a moment to spare today! And clean yourself up properly first, mind you!"

----o----

"And now, please enjoy yourselves, ladies and gentlemen. Food shall be served in an hour."

Turning sideways towards the King and Queen of Vale seated on their respective places on the stage with their royal robes donned on, Ivan Ferrier and Sheba Raos bowed in full respect. King Kyle and Queen Dora smiled back.

"Both of you are really great at being emcees, Ivan, Sheba. The speech was simply wonderful." Queen Dora praised warmly, her hair neatly tied in a bun with small curls let down at the side of her face. Beside her, King Kyle nodded his head in agreement.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." They both simultaneously chorused, bowing once more.

"Oh no, just call me Aunt Dora, if you please. Both of you have been with us for so long that I cannot help but feel as though you are my nephew and niece." She winked merrily. "Ah yes, and don't forget, Uncle Kyle at that too. That all right with you, dear?"

Kyle looked amused at the ring of the name, but nevertheless he complied with his wife. "Yes, I suppose so. It does sound more . . . welcoming."

"Very well then, Uncle Kyle, Aunt Dora." Sheba beamed.

"Father, Mother."

Prince Isaac stepped into view, bowing slightly as he approached his parents, his azure eyes smiling. Parking himself restlessly on his royal seat during Ivan and Sheba's speech a few minutes ago, he had felt somewhat awkward and gawky, uncomfortable. Not like he ever minded the looks and stares given to him; oh no, he was perfectly used to it ever since young.

He just felt a little . . . bizarre with all those women-piercing direct stares thrown at him. He could scarcely wait for all of the speeches to end (including his brief one that he felt was almost only mediocre compared to the blondes' wonderful speeches) and join his parents and friends. Some women, he noted, just could not restrain—no, he had phrased it the wrong way; some of them hardly bothered to try concealing their evident feelings. If he had looked at the wrong way, he was quite convinced that he would have felt sick . . .

"Yes, Isaac?" Kyle looked over to his son proudly. He was never happier to own such a son like him; he was everything Kyle and Dora wished for. He could see the potential, strength, kindness and charisma in those clear, deep azure eyes; he would make a great king and leader, there was no doubt about it. Vale was safe in those hands in the future, and there was nothing else happier for the well-loved king than to witness his own kingdom prosper by the hands of his only son.

Straightening his back with a low grunt, Prince Isaac spoke after casting a merry smile to the two blondes standing at the side. "No, it is nothing, Father. Did I perhaps interrupt anything?"

"Don't worry, Isaac. We were just having a nice tête-à-tête. Oh, and have you seen Garet by chance? I have not seen him for the past half-hour, which is frankly put, quite surprising. I thought that he would have been with you, Isaac," said his mother, laying approving eyes on her well turned-out son.

"Well, yes, he was. I have not seen him for some time too . . . I wonder where he has gone off to."

Ivan stepped forward and volunteered. "Maybe we should search for him. Anyhow, Sheba and I would like to join the crowd and find our friends too."

"Very well. Son, you go ahead too. Enjoy yourself, all right?"

"Thank you, Father, Mother."

"Then, excuse us, Your Highnesses."

----o----

". . . Wow . . . beautiful . . . " Garet stuttered.

Jenna rolled her eyes. "I see that you're the keen observer of the very obvious, Garet," she remarked sarcastically. "Of course Mia's beautiful! And she doesn't need beautiful clothes to make her look pretty, mind you." She smiled as she checked over the astounded aqua-haired young woman with an appraising fashion eye, satisfied with her work.

In an inkling of an eye, Jenna's childish-looking wand had totally changed young Mia's outfit. Instead of her usual worn-out, shapeless daily garb, her attire was now the exact reverse of it. It was one of the most magnificent gowns any tailor would have been tremendously and exceptionally proud to create.

Her ball gown was a crystal-coloured short-sleeved long dress, made from the finest silk and cotton imaginable. Tiny but exquisite peach-coloured pearls hung down from the soft white collar, and a silver sash was tied in a ribbon at the waistline. The three-layered fluffy skirt was of a slightly darker shade of crystal blue, with silver linings at the sides to produce a slimmer effect. Little sequins were arranged neatly and beautifully at the laces of the dress, making the dress more glamorously magnificent than ever.

But the dress was not the main attraction; far from it—in truth, as splendid as the gown was, it was outshone by the actual person adorning it. Instead of the usual ponytail that Mia had, her glossy aqua hair was tied nicely in a plait, and then rolled into a neat bun. Small French braids enveloped the frame of her face attractively, and a few short wisps of hair were purposely let down to make a slight fringe. Instead of her stud-shaped earrings, Mia now donned a dangling pair of gold earrings with intricate designs. And to top it off, Jenna had included lip-gloss on Mia's rosy pink lips, long lacy white gloves, a delicate crystal-made bangle on each wrist, and a pair of high-heeled glass shoes.

"Wow . . . this is . . ." Mia breathed sharply, looking down at her own appearance with wonder as her feminine eyes marveled at the dress.

"Too speechless to say anything?" Jenna winked cheerfully.

She suddenly laughed. "Well . . . yes. I feel so posh, rich and high-class all of a sudden," said she. "And considering what I've been wearing years ago until now, I feel as though all of these aren't suited for me."

"Rubbish!" Jenna replied smilingly. "Fiddlesticks! I'll smack anyone else who says that," she declared, giving an 'including-you' warning look to Garet at the same time, which he decided to ignore.

"Let's quickly go now. We don't want to be too late to warn Isaac!" he warned.

Jenna passed back the tiny wand to him. "All right. I guess we're all ready now—"

"Wait!" Mia exclaimed. A disastrous thought had struck her. "How about my room? Who's gonna clean it up while we're all away?" She clutched the hem of her dress frantically, careful not to let the long skirt brush against the dirty floor.

Her young godmother paused for a moment. "That's true . . ." She frowned. "Now that's some problem . . . we can't just leave the mess, can we? It might rouse your stepfamily's suspicion if they come back and find the room not cleaned yet when you're supposed to have all the time in the world," said she.

"Well, let's just ask the djinn to clean up!" Garet suggested. "Not a bad idea, eh?"

Immediately, Forge resurfaced on the redhead's shoulder. "Let me tell you, don't count me in. I positively hate cleaning," he said, shaking his small head violently. "In fact, I believe we all do. Let's see . . . any volunteers who don't mind cleaning this messy room, come out now," he commanded.

As Forge suspected, no djinni appeared. Both Garet and Jenna groaned.

"See? We all hate cleaning. You should have seen how our home was like in the previous days!" Forge chuckled.

_We'd gladly offer help clean the room, Mia, but we have to protect you. . . _Fizz explained apologetically in Mia, a hollow voice. The young woman now dressed beautifully shook her head, replying that she understood perfectly, and that they had done more than enough for her sake.

"Look, we don't have the time!" Garet half-snapped, a scowl appearing. "Alright; Granite, Ground, Bane, you're gonna clean up the place. And is it okay if Flash helps too, Jenna?"

The person in question cocked her head. "Yeah, sure . . ." she agreed readily. "Flash? You heard that. Come out now," she called aloud. At that moment, she was about to ask why she had to spare only one of her djinn whereas her fellow partner spared three, but closed her mouth again as she formed her own plausible inferences. _It's either he's starting to learn to be nice, or he has problem counting simple math, _she deduced.

Four simultaneous groans arose as four djinn appeared, three Venus djinn and one Mars. They hopped on the floor, grunting and complaining in their high-pitched voices.

"No use complaining, people. We've got work to do, and so have you!" Jenna warned. "Make sure everything's spick and span by the time we come back to pick you guys up, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," the four djinn replied sarcastically.

"Hey, where can I get the broom, miss?" a Venus djinn asked (or so Mia assumed, by the colour of its body). "Otherwise we'll never get started."

Mia smiled, amused by their antics. "You can find a broom and dustpan in the cupboard, a wastepaper basket just outside my room, and some pieces of cloth in the small bucket also in the cupboard if you want to wipe anything," she explained. "Thank you so much!" she added with a gracious smile.

The four djinn all beamed back at her cutely. "Welcome!"

"We'll polish this whole thing up; see if we don't!" the Mars djinni claimed.

"We're counting on you four!" Jenna reminded.

"Alright, I don't think we've missed anything important . . . let's go now," Garet suggested. His mind kept focusing on the stepfamily's plan to poison Isaac's mind, and with every passing second, his anger started to brew. _We have to act quickly, and let Mia warn him of the danger before the stepfamily budges in with their plan. Mars, I hope Isaac won't disbelieve her. And he better take to her . . ._

Both females nodded their heads in response.

"Come closer. We'll teleport back instantly to the castle grounds."

"Good luck!" the djinn cheered.

As Mia stepped closer to the other two, she could feel her heart beating just so ever slightly faster. She realised that the 'moment' was nearing; where she could finally meet this very person, where she had to warn him of the imminent danger, where it all mattered the most.

Deep inside, she deeply wondered if she could succeed to make the prince believe her; it was the truth she would be speaking to him, but to anyone else it would seem like a ridiculous, daft rigmarole in hopes to destroy the whole party ball event. Mia could not blame them if the prince were to entertain such thoughts.

Even now, she sometimes dazedly wondered if this was some kind of dangerous fuzzy dream. _But now's not the time to worry; I have to concentrate in what I'm doing and help! I must keep an eye for Merlina, Menardi and Karst . . . even though they did say that there will be eye-masks in the ball, there's still a chance that they will spot me through this disguise. I can't take that risk. If what Sister Jenna and Garet say is true, then I don't have much means to protect myself if they attack me full-force. I'll just have to lie low,_ she decided.

Garet closed his eyes as he concentrated on channeling his Psynergy power. Compared to his Mars Adept partner, he was physically much stronger, but she was more agile, and her mental capacity rooted firmer. A fiery but protective aura seemed to radiate around him, signifying the symbol of Mars. A light ray began to circle around him as he opened his eyes and declared:

"Teleport!"

As soon as the word was uttered, Mia felt her whole body–limbs, muscles, tendons, ligaments and all–breaking (she could find no other better replacement for the word) into hundreds of those small circles of multiple colours that she had saw earlier, when Jenna and Garet had first appeared in her room.

It was such a odd feeling for a first experience; she felt herself floating in mid-air with the other two Mars Adepts, and before she knew it, the three of them had flew off in an unbelievably rapid speed through the dark, ominous night sky. She felt the wind rushing past her, the buildings zooming away, and even zooming past frightened birds as they picked up even more speed.

She felt so incredibly light.

----o----

"Where have you 'deposited' the poor imbecile of a waiter?"

He chuckled. "Just knocked him out and left him in an alley. I'm sure he'll come to and find his way back. You trust the other man to do his job?"

"I have no doubt he will do as I have ordered him to. The commission is hardly to be passed over lightly, and he will not split either. These rogues are occasionally useful."

"Your brains are, as always, up to the task, eh?"

"Why, thank you. Are you sure they will not escape while you are here?"

A sneering smirk. "Hmph, of course. My inventions are specially designed imbued with Psynergy connected with high voltage of electricity. They will not attempt such foolhardy actions."

"How many are there?"

"Approximately on the range of forty to fifty. It is either some of them have managed to avoid us, or . . ."

"Yes, I know. And she has a few of them, I gather . . . we have yet to feel safe. She might have friends who have them. I highly doubt it, but one must take no chances. If a fight must ensue . . ."

"Rest assured, I am always ready at your service." A mock bow flourished. "If there is need, 'it' will be executed."

"Ah, you managed to invent it?"

"But definitely! It is my proudest work so far."

His companion laughed confidently. "My dear Saturos, one could always rely on you."

----o----

"Anyone interesting yet, Your Highness?" Sheba asked slyly, a teasing smile on her lips.

Prince Isaac laughed indifferently, setting his glass of champagne on the table. "Ah, but it is that you mock at me, Sheba! No," said he, "no one of any particular 'interest' yet, as you phrase it." He leaned back on the chair he occupied leisurely.

Across him Ivan Ferrier grinned. "If Flint were to be here now, Jupiter knows what he would do."

At the mention of the little Venus djinni, a thought struck Felix Segrave who was seated adjacent to young Ivan, who queried: "Speaking of the djinn, Your Highness, was there not word regarding the other djinn that they would congregate here in Vale around this time?"

"Yes, that is, on the word of Master Hama. I have no doubts whatsoever vis-à-vis her competence and precision, but as it stands . . ." he paused briefly, a frown creasing his brow.

"There has been neither appearance nor news a propos them at all?" Ivan suggested helpfully.

Isaac nodded. "Exactly. Even Flint is quite worried and troubled now, the poor fellow. Of course, he realises that djinn may be inaccurate in certain matters, but he is positively certain that they constantly stick to their scheduled time."

"I see . . ." Ivan muttered.

"Today is exactly the last day of December; in other words, also the last day of the month that the djinn planned to reassemble once more. Yet, there has been no news ever since the beginning of the month until now . . ."

Sheba's green eyes flickered for a moment as she leaned forward interestedly. "Do you suspect foul play, Your Highness?" Even though not above twenty years of age, Sheba Raos possessed sharp brains and great intellect that could easily match any adult, or even more so.

". . . I can only hope for the best," was his only crestfallen answer.

"But foul play seems to be strongly indicated here," Felix pointed impassively, "for to have not even one djinn out of seventy-two make an appearance in thirty-one days falls naturally beyond any normal circumstances."

"Certainly a vexing problem," Sheba mused. "Flint must be quite distressed."

Ivan waved an agitated hand, very nearly upsetting his glass of drink. "But it does not make sense. You comprehend, if foul play is the cause, who in Angara would want to capture or kidnap djinn? In the first place, djinn are only known to few selected people, and even at that, what would one gain from taking them hostage?" he protested.

"Exactly!" the prince exclaimed. "Unless there is some mad Adept on loose that hunts djinn, there does not seem to be any other feasible theory that fits in the bill of logic! Opportunity is one thing, but motive is a very different thing altogether."

"But if something has happened to them, would Master Hama not receive any information regarding them? Those djinn in contact with her would most probably, I think, reach out to her when in need of aid," Sheba reasoned out.

"Unless some power or force is preventing them from doing so . . ." Felix mused.

The blond boy beside him started and suddenly stared at Felix unblinkingly. "Felix! You've got it!"

The man in question merely raised his eyebrows inquiringly. "What do you mean?"

"Yes, yes, it is a possible link there . . ." Ivan muttered. He was about to speak aloud his mind when another thought struck him, and he stopped for a moment. Hastily closing his mouth, he shook his head with a trace of regret in pretence.

"No, nothing. Nothing at all," he hurriedly said. "I-I was thinking of something else." He then kicked Sheba's leg lightly, hoping she would understand his message by altering the topic. If he was correct in his surmise, then it would mean that the fraught difficulties in Master Hama's communication with the spirits (and probably djinn too) and the impending danger against the royal family were related! He had agreed with his sister that no word was to reach the prince's ears until 'sufficient evidence was produced', so he would keep his mouth shut.

The girl turned her head a tad too obviously, but indeed, she interpreted the signal correctly and changed the course of the subject skillfully. "By the way, did you manage to find either Garet or Jenna, Felix?"

Felix shook his head negatively. "I've searched all over the castle, but—" he left the sentence unfinished, shrugging his shoulders.

"Maybe dinner hasn't been served yet, that's why Garet isn't here," Sheba deduced with a tinge of sarcasm. Everyone in the castle knew Prince Isaac's godfather, Garet Jerra, and his never-ending, amazing craze for food. Somehow or other he managed to make himself a favourite among the kitchen populace, and he was proud of it.

Prince Isaac and Ivan chuckled. "Wait till he hears that," Ivan warned with a playful finger, "he would go up in smoke." He inwardly sighed in relief; Sheba was always relatively clever in changing topics.

"Then he has since vanished for a good half an hour," Prince Isaac remarked, as he consulted the enormous grandfather clock. "I wonder what—"

But what the golden-haired prince wondered nobody knew, for at that moment a conspicuous and decidedly flamboyant middle-aged lady advanced upon him in a tigress-like manner, gushing introductory remarks in an unnecessarily shrill pitch of excitement. Prince Isaac could hardly get a word of despair in.

"Uh oh . . ." he muttered under his breath. _What can I do? _Flashing a resigned comical look towards his three friends, he let himself be led away ruefully by the energized lady with slightly pink cheeks in due embarrassment.

"The poor prince . . ." Ivan sympathised, chuckling.

"Well, if anything, we can now talk freely about the 'premonition' that you and Master Hama had earlier on," Sheba pointed. "What in the world exactly is it all about? And why did you want me to change the subject?" she asked curiously.

"It was rather obvious, if I may say so," remarked Felix objectively.

Ivan grinned sheepishly. "Ah well . . ."

"Wait," said Felix authoritatively. "Since it is something crucial, let's go out to the gardens where we can talk freely and not be overheard," he suggested.

Both blondes agreed and soon they extracted themselves from the huge chattering swarm of people. As they pushed edged through the crowd, Felix's careless glance had suddenly been attracted to a pair of wine-coloured eyes momentarily. Their eyes met for a fleeting second. He was struck by it. Not that he had never seen eyes with that colour before, no; but something nagged him at the back of his mind. It vaguely reminded him of a fiery blaze . . . a dangerous look . . .

He shrugged it off. He had other pressing matters to think of rather than red eyes and flames, be it dangerous or mild-mannered.

----o----

Prince Isaac heaved a sigh of relief. He had finally managed to detach himself from the screeching-sounding Lady Imelda with a considerable amount of exertion on a false pretext. He was rather dead beat of looking at women everywhere he went, and it was not an everyday ritual that he was virtually overcrowded by the opposite sex in such an embarrassing conduct.

He was tired of listening to women talk nineteen to the dozen about how much they knew about this so-and-so, tired of their attitude that seemingly knew _everything_ in order to impress him, tired of dancing with women (who could all dance so perfectly that it appeared dubious to him) until it was a mechanical act, tired of conversing about politics and economies, and tired of a good many things that he found characteristic in most of the women he met.

Garet had once unkindly declared that women 'prattled and babbled', but now he was just about to agree with him enthusiastically and wholeheartedly. He was, at present, fervently thankful that his dear mother never 'prattled'.

If he was having second thoughts about the whole idea of a ball earlier on, he was now almost prepared to march up to his parents and announce that he was tired of women. He grinned wryly to himself at the dry joke.

He looked around in mock despair. By the time the gong sounded for dinner, he was expected to bring _someone _over to the royal family's table, where his parents could connect with that someone and sign their own approval before the king heralded his son's engagement by the end of the night. And judging from the ancestral grandfather clock, he had only slightly more than half an hour's time before dinner commenced.

He hadn't found his needle in his haystack. He had only been digging up hay, hay and nothing else but worthless hay the whole time.

He had to look harder, search even more zealously than ever, redouble his efforts.

"Prince Isaac, am I not right?"

----o----

Exiting the side door that led to the beautiful alluring gardens, Ivan, Sheba and Felix sat down comfortably on a couple of benches overlooking a small but neat pond, charmingly planted with lilies. With tall and cumbersome trees as a shield, it was an ideal obscured spot.

"Spill the beans," Sheba ordered.

Shortly but briefly, the prince's personal advisor recounted to them the recent occurrence of events that had led the Jupiter Adept siblings shaken with worry.

All three faces appeared troubled by the time Ivan had finished his story.

"Furthermore, I have now this theory where it links with the unaccounted disappearance of the djinn," Ivan continued, "Supposing that the djinn have been captured for some particular reason, say, in special magical walls; then these walls would be the 'barrier' that my sister has often encountered during her meditations. And what if they had been suppressed in order not to warn us of the impending danger that is to befall the royal family?"

Both Felix and Sheba were pondering upon the new idea. "Hmm. . ." Felix mused as he rubbed his chin. "Yes, it is mildly possible. But that would mean that the djinn have still succeeded in conveying the message."

On the other hand, the blonde was decidedly annoyed. "Blasphemy! Do you both not notice that there are way too many coincidences? Too many, I tell you! First there is the fact that seventy-two djinn are gathering here in Vale—of all places! Then they are to be captured, and there forms the barrier against Master Hama and the djinn—another miraculous coincidence! And now we think that they are captured so that they cannot leak to us the impending danger—too coincidental!" she exclaimed in a frustrated manner. "Reflect carefully; how do these evil beings _know _that the djinn are in contact with us in the first place?"

"Hey, calm down, Sheba," Ivan soothed. "Don't get so heated up! It's just an idea, that's all."

"Naturally, it does appear a bit too coincidental," Felix said cautiously. "There might be a simpler solution to the matter, of course."

Sighing as she calmed down, Sheba adjusted her eye-mask delicately. "Anyway, this djinn matter is not as important as the imminent menace now. This djinn matter can wait," she said firmly.

"Of course, we are all taking it for granted that this 'evil'—I prefer to call it that way—will happen tonight," Ivan hastened to say, "though there is no definite evidence to think that at all. Raison d'être is very shaky. It is only my instincts that jump to conclusions, you comprehend." He fumbled with his hands in agitation.

The russet-haired man acquiesced with a bare nod. "Naturally. But still, instincts are necessary. They are not called instincts if they do not have an inkling of the truth."

"But it is difficult," Sheba complained, her emerald eyes darkening. "What are we to do? We can only tighten our securities and keep an alert eye, but we have no certain preventive measures if anything should happen. We do not know who, what, where, when and how."

"Exactly. That is all we can do at the moment. I just pray hard that it will not occur tonight. His Majesty cannot afford to have the whole affair turning into a great turmoil and wreck havoc. Pandemonium," Ivan gravely said.

"Whatever it is, we must not tell anyone else about this," Felix persisted. "As you say, it might as well be a hoax ultimately. We will keep this to ourselves, and ourselves only."

Ivan and Sheba nodded in assent. "How about Garet and Jenna?" the female asked.

Felix Segrave paused thoughtfully, his impassive deep brown eyes gazing at the night sky. "We will tell them," said he. "In case anything happens, we could do with more hands. They will be of great assistance."

"Should we notify Piers and Alex about this as well?" Ivan inquired.

Piers and Alex Lucerne (1) were joint head generals in charge of Vale's army. Hailing from a rural village, the siblings had signed up as soldiers during the new recruitment season for Vale's hoard of militia. Though new and untrained, their raw potential was recognised in due course and through their consistency in diligence, attentiveness and hard work, they had marvelously earned their way up in Vale's army through the position of section leader, captain, assistant lieutenant, lieutenant, head of Regiment A and B, and finally to the top rank only in three years.

Both men were masters in the arts of swordsmanship, and had contributed a great deal in upholding peace and safety in the country of Vale. Their integrity, unwavering steadfastness and sheer loyalty to their country were highly praised and exalted.

"Maybe a word of caution would be advisable, yes," Felix admitted. As far as he knew, the Lucerne brothers were respectable, trustable people. Not that he ever questioned the king's decision in appointing them as joint head generals, though. It was in his nature to size anyone up himself to satisfy his own need to be sure.

Sheba Raos nodded her head appreciatively. "Yes, they can be trusted. I've spoken to them during my visits to the training grounds, and they seem friendly, dependable enough," she remarked. "Reliable."

"Then I will forewarn them at once," said Ivan. "It is perhaps a pity that His Majesty has let some guards off tonight," he added on an afterthought.

"No doubt His Majesty meant to be generous as to let them relax and enjoy this rare occasion. But at least the securities are not all disengaged, but only lessened. I am sure His Majesty knows what he is doing."

"It is imperative that we do not let the prince know of this," Sheba reminded. "It would only make him incapable to concentrate. And he is the star of the night! No," she shook her head resolutely, "we will tell him tomorrow, when it is all over."

Ivan Ferrier sighed, deeply troubled. _Life is full of hazards, _he remembered his wise sister telling him. Why did he get this unerring feeling of dread that something . . . something was about to happen? Was it another of his additional impulses, his sixth sense, as a Wind Adept?

Even if this 'evil' did not plague the royal family tonight, it would sooner or later ascend, and then . . . what would happen, he wondered?

"I wish I could look into the future," he said wistfully.

----o----

"We have to be ready now," Garet warned.

Mia felt a surge of thrill flowing through her veins. As much as the situation was deadly urgent and critical, she could not resist the feeling of excitement mixed with enthusiasm and zeal tingling through her skin with anticipation. She was, as she indirectly realised, playing the role of _'la heroine'_ for the very first time in her life, like those heroes and heroines in fairy tales that her late mother had told her many a time during her younger days.

Reproaching herself mildly for musing upon such insignificant imbecilities, she reprimanded herself to the current task at hand. She held her skirt gingerly as she carefully stepped on her new high-heeled glass shoes behind Jenna Segrave. They walked in a single line, Garet Jerra leading them towards the side door that led to the ballroom.

The Teleport skill that the spiky redhead had cast brought them to a lonely spot in the castle gardens. For a moment, young Mia was greatly enchanted with the gloriousness of the beauty that greeted her. So captivated she was that she had almost tripped herself up by stepping on the end of her evening gown. It was such a blissful paradise; beautiful, serene and tranquil. Even the darkest hours of the night could not veil its dazzling radiance, she thought.

Garet pointed to an opened door a few feet away with two stationary guards in armour on each side. "That's the side door leading to the ballroom. It's faster this way than using the long way through the proper front entrance."

"Here," said Jenna, handing a turquoise-coloured eye-mask sprinkled with delightful silver glitters to the aqua-haired young woman. "This is a masked ball, so you have to wear it. I thought this blue one would suit you."

Mia smiled gratefully at her young godmother, nodding a word of thanks as she gently slipped it on. She felt strange wearing such unknown things, but slowly adjusted herself to it. She knew she would not recognise herself were she to look in a mirror. She was in full disguise.

"Ah yes, I forgot to tell you something, Mia," Jenna suddenly exclaimed.

Mia cocked her head curiously. "Yes?"

"It's nothing much, but I have to warn you that this . . . 'magic' with the wand is only temporary."

Her jaw dropped in confusion. ". . . What?"

"It will only last until twelve o'clock midnight," Garet explained. "Meaning that we must go before midnight, unless you want to be seen with your old clothes and your identity revealed," he finished with a goofy grin.

"Don't worry, that gives us ample time. Just a warning in case we somehow stay late here," Jenna reassured, smoothing her crimson-coloured hair with her gloved hand.

". . . Alright," said Mia. _Some things are better off unexplained, I suppose. _"I'll take it that the wand is quite weird."

Jenna laughed. "Oh, it's a weird wand, no doubt about that."

"Now remember, Mia; warn the prince of the danger," Garet reminded.

"If he doesn't believe you, then just stay near him and make sure that stepfamily of yours don't go near him. We don't know how they will administer the potion to him, so the best thing is to make sure they stay clear from Prince Isaac," Jenna added firmly.

"Don't worry. We'll introduce you to him first, then we'll go away on a false pretext, but we'll actually stay near you at a distance, so don't worry about anything. If Isaac disbelieves you, just give some kind of signal and we'll be there at once," the redhead reassured comfortingly.

His female partner nodded in assent. "I doubt they will risk causing an open ruckus by fighting or anything in front of the king and queen, but just stay alert at all times just in case, okay? You should be pretty safe, and your djinn will protect you."

Mia nodded her head again bravely. "Got it." _I'm counting on you guys, djinn!_

_We won't let you down, don't worry!_ The djinn inwardly reassured her confidently.

"Well, this is it," Jenna exclaimed. "Don't be afraid, Mia. You can do it!" she cheered, patting Mia's shoulder comfortingly.

_This is it . . . _she echoed. _The moment of truth . . . pray Mercury that I won't mess the whole thing up . . . _

"Just relax; everything will turn out all right, you'll see," Garet grinned. "Don't let this whole mess bother you so much; enjoy the night! It's a ball, your first and maybe last, so make full use of it!"

Mia smiled. Garet's indomitable spirit truly had a curious knack in always seeing the good side of everything, even bad things.

As she approached the beckoning door with Jenna at her side, her mind mentally rehearsed through the lines that she would recite out to the prince. It all sounded so outrageous to herself that she was seriously considering whether the prince would even believe half of her story; it was such like a preposterous melodramatic fairy tale!

Oh dear, if only she could just forget everything, this whole nightmare . . . but it was yet to be over with. Her ordeal was by far only midway.

"'Evening, sir," the guards saluted to Garet. To this Mia raised her eyebrow in a surprised fashion, but her frown immediately cleared when she remembered the little fact that he had admitted earlier about being the prince's godfather.

_It must be so wonderful to be surrounded by riches and wealth . . . it must be heaven for those poor villagers. _At this moment, her mind wandered far away to her original hometown, the village of Imil. _I wonder how the Imilians are faring right now . . . I do hope they're all doing fine. Miss them . . ._

As Garet moved ahead into the ballroom, he gave a whoop of joy. "They haven't started eating yet, meaning I haven't missed anything yet! Joy!"

Jenna rolled her eyes helplessly. "What a glutton. That's all you can think about now?" she said sarcastically. Then she lowered her voice: "I hope they haven't poisoned the prince's drink or anything yet . . . we must be in time. We have to find him quickly," she muttered worriedly. They had to be in time so that Garet and her plans wouldn't be upset too . . . playing the side role of matchmaker needed precision, no flaws.

"We'll just have to pray that they haven't done anything yet," said Mia ruefully.

Taking her hand, Jenna kindly guided her godchild into the enormous ballroom.

"Welcome to the ball," said she, smiling.

Subconsciously, Mia held her breath as she stepped into the largest and most magnificent room she had ever saw, literally chock-a-block with hundreds and thousands of people from all over the world. She gazed with quiet awe as she took in every detail, from the beautifully-draped walls down to the huge crowd, and finally resting her eyes for the first time on the King and Queen of Vale. Her hand stole to her chest as she gaped silently, her mouth slightly ajar. She was so timidly small. It was like a new, unknown world, and she was like the newborn baby.

As if she had just moved from the old ages into proper civilization.

_Father, Mother, pray for your daughter. . . _

----o----

"Prince Isaac, am I not right?"

Prince Isaac snapped out of his thoughts and whirled around to face the feminine voice that had hailed him. He saw a middle-aged Proxian woman (her nationality was easily defined from her physical features), wearing a violet gown that fitted her well. She had sharp features and swift, birdlike eyes that the prince was quick to appraise with mild appreciation. Here, at least, there was someone who was not all prettiness and feather-brained.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness." She immediately curtsied politely and smiled, extending a hand.

As a custom, he lightly kissed her gloved hand in politeness. "No, it is my pleasure wholly," he replied, feeling a bit mechanical as he did so. How many times had he kissed hands and uttered the same monotonous syllable? He had unfortunately lost count. "And you are. . .?"

"Merlina Larfax, my lord."

_Larfax. . . now where did I hear it before. . . oh, of course! The Larfax family is one of the popular well-bred families in Prox, quite wealthy. . . _"Ah," he uttered ambiguously. "It is a night where I meet many delightful acquaintances."

The lady chuckled. "Indeed. As a matter of fact, I was hoping Your Highness would be able to meet my two dear daughters, Menardi and Karst. They've been positively longing to meet you for a long, long time. A pity they've wandered away by themselves."

"I hope I shall have the pleasure of meeting them soon."

Merlina smiled prettily. "In the mean time, I would like to wish Your Highness the greatest success in finding your future bride," said she. Looking sideways, she signaled to a nearby waiter serving drinks in a black tray.

He immediately approached her with two glasses on his tray. "Sherry or champagne, Madame?" he inquired politely, his voice husky.

"But sherry. Champagne is not my cup of coffee, I fear," Merlina replied, laughing.

The waiter then handed her glass with a small bow. "Your drink, Madame." They exchanged quick glances for a fleeting moment before the husky-voiced waiter bowed to the prince this time with the remaining glass on the tray. "Your Highness."

Prince Isaac took the glass unsuspectingly with a bare nod. "Thank you."

"A toast, to your future bride," Merlina cheered, their glasses chinking with a light sound as they met. She sipped her drink noiselessly, watching the prince astutely from the corner of her birdlike eyes.

She smirked triumphantly as the prince innocently raised the glass to his lips.

----o----

_Look for a maroon-haired female Proxian, _Mia kept chanting subconsciously. While tall Garet was searching fervently for the prince, she had assigned herself into searching for any members of her stepfamily. Finding the prince was one thing; shadowing the stepfamily was quite another thing altogether. As Jenna had logically pointed, it would be hard to keep an eye on three persons, as they might possibly separate themselves one way or other. As long as they kept a keen eye on Prince Isaac, sooner or later the stepfamily would have to come and induce their poison by whatever way they had decided upon.

The real danger was that they had no idea how they would do it. As hard as they thought, inducing poison through a drink seemed the best and most probable solution. Yet, as Mia reasoned out, Merlina and her daughters were dreadfully cunning when they put their minds to something. If they really employed their wits, they wouldn't bet their money on such an obvious method. Maybe they had a double-plan that was by far more ingenious than any of the solutions that the three of them could think of.

_It's all so dreadfully confusing,_ Mia inwardly groaned, vexed. _I hardly know anything! And we're just getting pushed and shoved by standing here in the middle of the crowd. . ._

Her eyes darted quickly as she scanned her eye around the crowd, skimming over many heads of all possible colours. Crimson, auburn, lavender, fuchsia, black, chocolate-brown, jade-coloured, just name any colour of the hair you could ever think of; it was all there. Ladies had expertly arranged their hairdos in all possible ways imaginable. Their dresses and gowns were of the finest quality she had ever seen in her life, a good number of them hugging their body curves perfectly.

They all made her look so unflattering in such a brusque way.

She was more than dead certain that she would not qualify as a bride candidate. She was unquestionably no match for all these other beautiful, gorgeous ladies. And who was she anyway? No one of any importance, a nobody. A prince would naturally not stoop down to a lowly servant girl like her when there were stunning single duchesses or those women whose names bore great meaning to the world to choose from.

"Quick, can you see her anywhere?" Jenna asked her godchild, anxiety clear in her ruby-coloured eyes.

Mia started involuntarily as she snapped out from her reverie at the back of her mind. "No, I can't," she replied, her voice fearful and panicky. "there are just too many people around here!"

"There he is!" Garet half-shouted suddenly. He impatiently pointed a clumsy forefinger at the east wing of the room, just as packed with people as it was on their west wing.

"Where?" Jenna hurriedly asked.

"There! That one! The spiky golden-haired one right at the corner, near the tables!" he replied with gusto. "See him?"

The aqua-haired young woman's heart leaped. She hardly knew whether it was a leap of enthusiasm because she was finally about to meet the 'man of every woman's dream' (or so she had heard in various gossips), or a leap of nervous strain as her half-dreaded task was about to commence. Her eyes told her that he was a pleasant-looking young man, but she could hardly perceive any specific further details due to the far distance.

"Oh! Talking to that redheaded woman, right? Proxian, I think?"

Jenna's statement of confirmation was utterly harmless, but it triggered a new set of emotions in Mia. She squinted her eyes in great efforts to focus her eyes at the subject of Jenna's sentences, and her heart leaped again.

Only this time, she knew it was deep fear.

"It's her . . ." she whispered hoarsely. "It's her!" she half-shouted to her two companions in the buzz of the crowd. "My stepmother!"

Garet gave a start. "Damn! Do you think they're already starting their plan of action? Like giving him a glass of poison?"

"I don't know . . . he looks all right as far as I can see, and no drinks yet," Jenna answered. "But we better go there, all the same. Get him away from her!"

The three of them hurried over as fast as they could in the horde of people, clumsily knocking over innocent guests while muttering words of excuses and apologies. Garet had even banged his knee on a strong table leg by pure accident, muttering an oath under his breath as he felt pain swelling up in his joints.

They had just gone halfway when he stopped, whirling around. He felt someone tugging his shirt in nervous apprehension.

"Look!" Mia whispered. Her eyes stared far ahead, but with a cold of unmistakable dread.

The Proxian woman had just called forth a waiter with a tray of drinks!

"Can the poison be . . .?" Garet asked haltingly, his eyes trailing the sequence of happenings. The waiter was summoned; he offered a drink to the woman, she responded. Everything seemed perfectly normal, nothing fishy as far as he could see. Yet, what if--?

"We don't know . . . dash it all, we have to stop it!" Jenna decided resolutely, her legs taking her as fast as they could go to the prince. "It's a 50-50 chance that it might contain poison and it might not, but we're not going to take any risks. At least, I'm not!" she finished. "And my instincts tell me that they're up to something!"

Mia stared helplessly before hurrying after her godmother, Garet following her suit. "But what are you going to do?" she asked in despair.

"I don't know! But I'm certainly not going to stand back and just watch!" Jenna responded decisively.

"Blast this heavy crowd!" Garet cursed, almost stepping on a lady's shoes. "Maybe stall for time and then somehow get the drink away?" he suggested, muttering a 'sorry' to an elderly woman who he had bumped unintentionally at the same time.

"Any ideas are welcomed in this situation!" Jenna called back, almost tripping over her own dress in her haste.

Time decided to toy around with them however, for her shoe had unluckily intertwined with the lace at the end. Growling angrily in frustration, she hobbled dangerously on one leg while her hand impatiently tried to disentangle the frilly while lace. She would have ended up falling down embarrassedly with a shriek, if not for the spiky redhead who judiciously caught her hand just in the nick of time.

"Watch your step, Jenna," he warned with a frown. "You're not wearing shorts or anything here, you know." The girl in question flushed and muttered something that suspiciously sounded like 'I know what I'm doing' to Mia who, by this time, was already ahead of them. She then gasped loudly when she turned her eyes back to the prince standing metres away from her.

"Oh god . . ." she breathed, her words almost inaudible. "He's taking the drink . . . he's going to drink it . . ."

_There's nothing to show that it's poisoned, but what if the drink really is poisoned? But . . . it can't be possible, can it? The drink is served by the waiter and not by them, meaning that it comes from the castle, and therefore it should be perfectly normal! But what if . . . if this particular waiter is involved too? . . . No! The castle servants are absolutely loyal; I'm sure they wouldn't plot like this . . . but what if . . . _Mia almost screamed out loud. Everything was 'what if' all throughout. Wasn't there anything _definite _at all!

"Hurry!" Jenna prompted. "You still can make it!"

This, combined with her earlier words, made it all kick in. Before she knew it, her legs instinctively carried her frontward as fast as they could. She was the only one who could reach the prince now; Garet and Jenna would hardly make it.

_Mercury, let me be in time, please . . . oh, I wish all these crowd would clear away! But what should I do to stop him from drinking? Call him, then what? It'll be so ridiculous! And what if Merlina recognizes me? I probably look different now with all my costume and this eye-mask, but she has a sharp eye, and I wouldn't put it pass her . . . _

"I'll be fine. You follow her!" Jenna commanded to Garet. He nodded instantly and pursued the aqua-haired child.

It felt like the moment of eternity to Mia; the less-than-a-minute she battled with the flow of the crowd felt like an agonizing hour that would never end. People gazed and some even glared mildly at her when she heartlessly pushed them aside, muttering tons of 'excuse me' feverishly. She kept her eyes trained on the spiky golden-haired young man's back all the time, praying the whole time that Garet, Jenna and she herself were all entertaining the wrong conjecture, and that she would be in the nick of time . . .

She felt her breath slowly and painfully slipping away from her when the prince and her stepmother toasted genially, their glasses chinking gaily.

_Oh, just roughly three metres more . . . let me make it! Please! _She almost cried in despair. To her, it was a hundred percent that poison was in the glass. Anything that had to do with her stepfamily was taken to be venomous, lethal. That was the only way to be on the safe side.

She tried to call out, but her breathless, panting voice could hardly beat the sound of the crowd pooled together.

Her heart raced wildly, her breaths short and uneven, whilst the music in the ballroom merrily continued its melodious hymn . . .

While Prince Isaac unknowingly raised the glass to his lips . . . the sparkling white liquid beginning its flow into his mouth. . .

* * *

Notes:

(1) Lucerne is unmistakably the name of a lake (and also a town), but seeing it has a connection to water, it's a nice, pleasant name to use for both Piers and Alex who are both Water Adepts. Note that there is no mistake about them being Mia's cousins as shown in Chapter 1, so we'll see more of them as well in future chapters.

It's really been a long time since I've last updated, and I really apologise for the slow updates lately. I hope I can at least finish this one by the end of this year, but I've still got several more chapters to go. At least I still haven't deteriorated at leaving cliffhangers. :) And in case anyone's interested, Chapter 3 has been edited and reposted.

Just to clear things up if there's any confusion, Mia knows that Garet is Isaac's godfather, but she still doesn't know who was it that 'saved' her from falling down flat the other day on the streets of Vale.

To those who haven't forgotten about this fic, thank you so much! A special note of thanks goes to anonymous readers Kodoku, Insanity Team and Ponie. Suggestions, comments, critiques and sage advice are always welcomed!


	13. And Aphrodite Chimes In

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

* * *

Chapter 13: And Aphrodite Chimes In

With her last effort Mia practically hurled herself onto the unsuspecting prince, her arms stretched out.

A gasp was heard, presumably Merlina's. But the time interval was too short for her to dart away.

"Oof!" Prince Isaac staggered forward unsteadily, barely missing knocking Merlina by an inch. He had gulped down a mouthful of the liquid, but the sudden impact almost made him choke. His glass slipped from his hand and fell onto the carpeted floor with a low thud, barely audible amongst the crowd. Red liquid poured out.

But that hardly worried him.

Appalled and horror-stricken, Isaac gasped in dismay at the sight of the red-haired lady in front of him, her face and clothes which had received the glory of the champagne spurting from his mouth.

Merlina Larfax stood still as if rooted to the ground, her gaze transfixed on her stained dress. Her fingers slowly found their way to her face.

The people surrounding them suddenly stopped in the middle of their actions and stared.

At that very moment, Isaac wished most fervently of all that he was never born. Wished he were melting right now, sinking through the ground.

Garet and Jenna arrived at the scene just at that particular moment and stopped still.

No one seemed to be moving.

Then things seemed to happen all at once.

Prince Isaac started to apologise profusely to Merlina, Mia grabbed a napkin from a nearby table and offered it to her while offering her apologies in a nervous horrified stammer, and Garet made an effort to clear the commotion by declaring to the neighbouring crowd that "Everything's okay, people, no harm done".

"I beg my utmost pardon, Lady Larfax, I—I really do apologise from the very bottom of my heart for causing you such embarrassment . . . I—"

"Oh no, please, it was all my fault," Mia rushed in to intervene, her voice quivering, "it was none of the prince's fault. I was the one who pushed him by the greatest mistake. Please, do forgive me for my utmost carelessness and stupidity . . ."

Underneath her words, Mia rejoiced at her success (though she was not too sure whether the prince did actually consume a portion to the drink). Nevertheless, her rejoice was dampened at the sight of the young perturbed prince beside her. She felt guilty for making him feel guilty.

Merlina smiled faintly, shaking her head with all the traits of a gentlewoman. "Please, there is no need to apologise. Mistakes are bound to happen once in a while," said she generously, "so it is all right, I assure you."

But Prince Isaac was far consoled of his new-founded guilt. "But still, I cannot forgive myself for causing such distress upon you. At least, you must allow me to lend you a change of dress for the rest of the evening," he proposed, feeling deeply disconcerted.

"But it is nothing—"

"I insist," he persisted.

The middle-aged woman smiled. "In that case, I shall accept your kind offer. Thank you for your kind thoughts, Your Highness."

After the prince signaled to a black-haired waitress, Merlina let herself be guided by the waitress in question out of the inquisitive crowd and out of the magnificent ballroom, leaving a worried prince and an equally abashed Mia behind her.

----o----

Mia hardly knew what the next step was to be after that.

_Thank goodness the crowd has finally averted their attention, _she thought. _Now what…?_

She heard the prince sigh beside her before turning around to face her. For the first time in her twenty-one years of life, Mia looked face-to-face with the renowned Prince of Vale, now less than a metre away from her. She held her breath as she fully realised why the man in front of her was almost a speaking life legend.

Everything about him seemed to be . . . flawless. He was so smartly dressed, matching his good looks so perfectly to the hilt. From his unruly spiky golden hair (she noticed that particularly with an amused smile) to those pair of eyes that seemed to yield life so intensely, and to the regal clothes he adorned, she never thought anyone could be so picture perfect and look so . . . wonderful as he did.

As soon as his eyes caught hers, Mia could feel a great force of character from him. Yet she hardly thought it was because he was a prince.

"I—I'm so sorry—I mean, I—I really do apologise, Your Highness . . . for er . . . colliding with you . . ." she stammered, feeling like the world's biggest idiot at that very moment. She distinctly felt her cheeks turn a crimson red as she deliberately turned her gaze on a pair of suede shoes belonging to a middle-aged man within her sight.

She heard a mild chuckle as he stepped towards her. "I am sure neither of us meant that incident to happen, so please, do not feel so bad about the whole matter, Lady . . . er, may I ask for your name?"

Mia stood even more rooted to the ground as she considered the idea of giving her real name to him. Not guessing for the life of her that the man who saved her in town a few weeks ago was really the man right in front of her, she was about to mouth out her name in a small squeak when Garet suddenly leaped into the scene.

"Hey, you okay, Isaac? Don't feel so bad about the whole thing, pal," he comforted Isaac, patting his shoulder.

"I see you've still got that country lingo around you, Garet," Jenna observed dryly, as she came up beside Mia. "Are you all right, Tia? You must have tripped on your dress to have rammed into the prince like that."

Mia immediately frowned at the change of her name and was about to question her godmother when she felt a nudge behind her back. Reasoning that there had to be a logical explanation, she decided to just play along.

"Yes, that was . . . quite a trip," she agreed with her cheeks flushing, "but I'm quite all right now, thank you."

The prince cocked his eyebrow in interest. "I gather you both know this lady?"

"That's right. She's one of Jenna's acquaintances, as a matter of fact," Garet answered readily.

Feeling bolder and less nervous with Jenna at her side, Mia managed to make a little stiff bow to the prince. "I uh . . . I'm most honoured to meet you, Prince Isaac. My name is, uh . . . (she quickly thought up of a name) Sarah Lushielle." She held out her hand nervously. _Oh, how terrible are my manners!_

"We friends prefer to call her Tia though," Jenna chipped in with an almost-too-bright smile.

"From an incident that happened last time," Garet added, in hopes to satisfy the prince's doubts and answers.

Prince Isaac gave 'Sarah Lushielle' an engaging, charming smile as he lightly kissed her hand. "It is my pleasure, Lady Lushielle," said he. "Please, do not burden yourself with any guilt whatsoever upon your shoulders on the incident. It was no one's fault."

"If you both will excuse us for a moment?" Jenna piped in, an apologetic smile on her face.

"Yes, of course," Isaac assented.

Taking Mia's hand, Jenna led them both away from the men until they were of out of hearing. "What _is_ wrong, sister Jenna?" Mia asked.

"Well, first things first, that was really great of you to stop the prince from drinking the potion wholly," said Jenna, "but are you sure he did not already sip a little? Especially when you bumped into him . . ."

"I'm not too sure myself, I fear . . . but at least we managed to stop him. I'm neither glad nor sad that the drink splashed onto Merlina, but I'm just feeling guilty that I had to make him the one embarrassed."

Jenna waved a hand. "It's no big deal. Think of the favour you're doing to him if the drink did contain poison."

"I suppose you're right . . ."

"Now then, I apologise for our unwelcoming interruption between you and the prince back there," here Jenna winked, "but we had to stop being the observant party before you could give your name to him. I mean . . ." Jenna paused.

She and Garet had agreed that Mia's identity should be kept secret to the prince as a surprise. How was she going to make Mia see the situation without giving the show away that the man who rescued her was actually the prince himself?

"Yes?"

"I mean, of course there isn't much problem if you give him your real name, but what if he . . . er, innocently blurts it out to that stepmother of yours or something? He would not think it wrong, but the fat _would _be in the fire," Jenna exclaimed triumphantly. "And you've always got to think of the worst case scenario." Hopefully that reason is good enough, she thought.

"So it's just best that I go under another name for safety purposes?"

"Yes, that's it," Jenna agreed with an inner relief. "Oh, and why did you change the name Tia that I gave you? Too close to your name?"

Mia smiled nonchalantly. "Not exactly. You see, Tia is just a name I don't really like. It reminds me of a girl back then in my village."

"And I just had to hit upon such a name," Jenna remarked dryly. "And Lushielle?"

The aqua-haired young woman smiled again. "It was my mother's maiden name."

Jenna cocked an eyebrow. "Anyway, we'd better get back to those two. Just stay alert and keep near him the whole time to make sure your stepfamily doesn't try to go at him again, because I think they won't hesitate at another chance. Garet and I will be constantly on watch, so just call out if you need any help."

"All right. I'll do my best," Mia declared.

Jenna shook a playful finger at her. "And remember, you're here to give yourself a good time too!"

Mia laughed. "I'll try."

----o----

"Mother, is everything all right?"

Menardi pushed open the sturdy oak door as she and Karst stepped into the room that clearly served as a spare wardrobe and other necessities that one could think of. Standing in front of a life-sized mirror was Merlina, now dressed in an ocean blue gown even more exquisitely shaped than her previous violet gown.

"Oh, my dears, there you are," Merlina exclaimed. She gestured to the waitress in her attendance. "It is all right now. You can leave."

"Very good, my lady."

When the door shut, Karst burst into speech. "We saw the incident from afar," Karst explained, her eyebrows furrowing. "How maddening is it for us! That annoying little careless girl! Our plan is upset all because of her!"

"Hush, Karst," Menardi warned. "Let's not talk too loudly, or we might just draw attention."

"It is infuriating to have our plans foiled, but it is lucky that we have prepared for these occasions. Never mind that girl. We still have one more vial of the Death Potion left. But the next chance we get will be the last. The effect produced will not be powerful enough if we were to divide the amount of dosage into two."

"We shall have to plan carefully . . . we must not allow room for anymore mistakes this time."

"Dispose of the girl if necessary."

----o----

"Anyway, Jenna and I have to take care of a few things first. But I promise I'll be there right on time for dinner!" Garet said with enthusiasm.

Mia stifled a giggle. Garet certainly had a way with him that made her feel comfortable.

"In the mean time, I do hope you will be able to entertain my dear friend here, Prince Isaac," said Jenna in turn. "Otherwise she would be rather . . . lost in this mass of crowd, I'm afraid."

"I would be delighted to keep Lady Lushielle company," the prince replied.

"Well then, meet you guys later at the dinner table!" Jenna winked at Mia once more, mouthing 'good luck' to her as both redheads moved away.

From that moment onwards, Mia steeled her defenses further. She was playing one of the most important roles ever in her life right now. There was no doubt that her stepfamily would try their hands again and achieve their goal by the end of the night. As much as she longed to relax and immerse herself in the deep, mesmerising pleasure of feeling and being in such a wonderful atmosphere, she knew wide alertness would prove to be difficult if she allowed herself to do so.

_Don't worry, Mia, we'll help you to keep alert. _Fizz suddenly echoed inside her mind.

"Are you all right, Lady Lushielle?"

Mia started. "Oh, I'm so sorry . . . I must have spaced out for a moment," she explained.

"Indeed," the handsome prince acquiesced. He noted the time as he glanced at the ancestral grandfather clock. "As there is still some time before dinner, perhaps you would enjoy a walk outside? It is slightly oppressive in here," he suggested.

"But shouldn't you—I mean Your Highness be in here the whole time?"

He laughed. "It should be so, but I fear that I may start to suffocate if I stay in here any longer. A breath of fresh air would be ideal. Perhaps I could show you some of our attractions."

"Then yes, I should enjoy that very much," said she shyly.

Through a side door they exited into the castle grounds, where cooling breezes greeted them happily. Mia could hardly believe that here she was, walking side-by-side with THE Prince Isaac, at the celebrated Vale Castle, taking up a false name for cover, and getting into the premises by the wildest way imaginable through the help of her friends.

She strongly contemplated about telling the prince regarding her stepfamily's plan in manipulating him, but something pulled her back. Surrounded by so much splendour and beauty, she strangely felt so reluctant . . . was it because she wanted to let go of the entire burden she carried? Or was she just disinclined to spoil the prince's night?

She suddenly snapped from her deep thoughts as she noticed the prince frowning as he placed one hand on his chest.

"Are you all right, Your Highness?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he assured her. "I just felt a little out of focus all of a sudden, that's all."

Mia's heart leaped. She was sure he was keeping the details quiet. Could it be that he did actually swallow some of the drink earlier, and this was the effect? Was this how her stepfamily was planning to manipulate the prince into giving them power?

"Are you sure?" she pressed on worriedly.

The prince smiled. "Yes, thank you for your concern, Lady Lushielle. In fact, I should feel ashamed to be feeling this in front of a lady." He laughed gaily.

She grew embarrassed. _He does look quite fine_, she thought. _Maybe it depends on the amount of dosage given . . . _They continued their walk in silence.

"Where might you be from, Lady Lushielle?" Isaac broke the pleasant silence as they strolled on the pathway, circling the castle.

Mia debated whether it would be wise for her to give further false information, but decided that it was hardly necessary. "I was born originally in Imil." She could scarcely consider Prox as a 'home', other than 'the place where her current house' was.

"Ah, the quaint little village at the icy regions? Then we are not too far away from each other, as we are both from the same continent. You do not have an escort with you?"

"Uh . . . no . . ." Mia was rather wishing the prince would stop asking her questions that she hardly knew what to answer. She knew she had to open her mouth, warn him of the danger, that two pairs of eyes would be better than one, that the target should be warned for it to be fair game, but her mouth was irritatingly against her mind.

_What **am **I doing?! I shouldn't be wasting time chatting idly! _

Apparently Prince Isaac had no notion that an inner battle was occurring in Mia, for he pleasantly continued the conversation. "This is one of our pavilions built ages ago. Several of these pavilions surround the castle," he gestured to a small building structure with a golden hemisphere-shaped top with ancient designs. Long marble pillars stood erected along the whole circumference of the pavilion, except for a spot where a little stairway opening connected the pavilion and the castle pathway. A translucent pale beige cloth enveloped the pavilion right from the top to the ground, swaying now and then when a breeze came along.

Mia stared at the pavilion with awe. Under the beam of the moonlight, the pavilion looked its ever best, so enchantingly it was before her eyes. "It's beautiful . . ." she whispered. She slowly walked nearer to it, up the short steps, and into the pavilion as if something willed her to do so.

The golden-haired prince watched her keenly as he followed her into the pavilion. It was spacious enough to put up seats around the sides and roomy enough to accommodate several people. Every time he stepped inside this place, he would not cease to wonder at the calm, serene feeling it left him; and the feeling only grew stronger when Sol sunk down and Luna stepped in his place.

"Yes, it is," he agreed readily. "It was built by my ancestors when they first built the whole castle."

She touched the pillars gently as she smiled serenely. "It's lovely," she whispered again.

"But not as lovely as you," he murmured softly.

Mia whipped around in surprise, her face flushing. Did he really think—?

Hastily he changed the subject. "I do not think I have ever enjoyed the fresh air so much in my entire life before," said he, nervously chuckling.

She pretended to be wholly interested. Well, she was partly curious at his statement anyway, so it was not too phony. " . . . Because it is too cooped up in the ballroom?" she hazarded a guess.

"Well, yes, partly," he admitted. "Too much attention is, I find, rather bad for the health," he added with a sigh.

The aqua-haired young woman secretly hid a knowing smile. "Is it so bad?"

"You can hardly imagine," he replied. "Just between you and me, I doubt this ball will do me any good. Perhaps I should just give the whole thing up."

Frowning as a thought struck her, Mia stopped in her steps as they reached the backyard of the castle grounds. "If Your Highness will pardon me for my question, but . . . why are you confiding all of this to me? I mean . . . it is an honour," here she flushed pink, "but . . ."

"Well . . . usually I confide in my godfather, but since he is not available right now . . ." he stopped, chuckling. "And as for you, Lady Lushielle . . ."

"Y—yes?" she faltered.

Isaac looked ponderingly at the sky. "I do not know what makes me feel this, but somehow, I feel like I can . . . trust you."

" . . . Even though we've just barely met?" She knew she should not have prompted him, but to clear her mission; indeed, she could feel Spritz mildly protesting in her mind already.

But curiosity took over for once. She wanted to know his answer.

He laughed. "It must sound ludicrous, but frankly speaking, my first impression of you was that of a very capable woman, understanding and reliable . . ." he paused as he faced her with a slight smile. "And delightfully charming, if I may say so."

His golden bangs swayed gently as the outburst of the night breeze brushed through them. Feeling her face go red afresh and even redder if possible as she felt his look on her, Mia lowered her head timidly in embarrassment. She shivered involuntarily as the breeze conveniently picked up speed, a burst of wind flying past them.

"Would it surprise you, Lady Lushielle, if I were to claim that you are, somehow, a familiar face to me?" Isaac inquired, as he gentlemanly detached his regal blue cloak from his shoulders to her own.

Wrapping it around herself for extra warmth, Mia blushed when a nice, masculine scent stimulated her olfactory senses. Murmuring a 'thank-you' in a flustered manner, Mia felt pluckier all of a sudden. Here she was, having a good impression on the prince! Maybe she stood a chance, after all . . .

And mentally slapped herself immediately at such a preposterous thought the next second.

_When **will** I just focus on what I'm supposed to do for just one minute?!_

"N—no, I don't believe we've ever met before . . ." Mia answered hesitatingly. But as she came to think about it, she could not help but intuitively be reminded of someone else . . . _Though, of course, there's no question about it, since practically almost the whole women race knows his face . . ._

"My mistake then," he gallantly replied. "I could have sworn your voice is somewhat familiar as well. That I may have seen or heard you more than twice."

There was a short silence. And before she could stop herself, it came out spontaneously. "You're really a nice person."

He turned, surprised at her sudden remark. She later chastised herself on the pulses of adrenaline that continuously teased her non-stop. "I—I'm so sorry I spoke so informally—"

To her astonishment, Isaac laughed. "No, please, don't bother to apologise, Lady Lushielle. I thank you for the compliment." He added with a twinkle in his eyes, "May I gratify you by saying that it is the sincerest and most natural comment I have ever heard the whole night thus far?"

" . . . Really?" she asked, a dimple visible in both cheeks.

"Would I tell a lie merely to please you?" he challenged back.

But Mia was barely focusing. Her expression did not lighten. This time, she would make a clean breast of what she knew. How long could she postpone all this? Her friends were relying on her! And what was she doing? Letting all her friends, humans and djinn alike, down!

"Your Highness, there is—something I need to tell you . . ." she spoke with urgency in her voice. No more dilly-dally!

"What is it, out of the blue?" he queried.

"I—"

As clichéd as it was, the inevitable happened. The sound of the gong resonated, intruding rudely into that heavily saturated atmosphere.

Both parties groaned. Prince Isaac was evidently annoyed. How on earth was he going to explain to his parents and everyone else that he had failed to find— . . . _Wait a minute . . ._

On the other hand, Mia was busily reproaching herself for letting the previous flow of events delay her mission. _It's probably the gong for dinner, and I don't think I can catch him after that . . . great Mia, now you've just messed things up a lot more! _

"Lady Lushielle?"

"Yes?" she turned, a perplexed look on her face.

"Would you . . ." he paused irresolutely, coughing consciously, "uh . . . mind joining me for . . . er, dinner at my table?"

Mia could have sworn and crossed her heart that the angels were on her side on that day, just for that particular moment.

" . . . With . . . your family?" she squeaked.

He scratched his head boyishly. She somehow found it cute and adorable. "Well, yes . . . as I'm sure you know, I am rather . . . er, expected to invite . . . well, you know how it goes," he left off embarrassedly.

Mia never thought she could feel her cheeks radiating so much heat and colour.

"Will you give me the honour of escorting you to my table?"

" . . . I . . ." Mia was speechless. Did he mean . . .? "Why?" she blurted out.

Seeing her uncomfortable somehow strengthened his nerve as he regained his composure. "Well, bear in mind that I am not just simply choosing at random, even though I _am _runningshort of time . . ."

Characteristic of all women, Mia held her breath, gripping her hold on his cloak around her tighter. " . . . Then?"

Isaac felt masterful of the conversation once more. "Aside from the fact that I've managed to maintain a conversation with you for more than ten minutes without the desperate feeling to escape unlike with the other ladies . . ." said he with a smirk, slowly stepping towards her.

Mia backed away a few steps before realising that she had no other place to retreat behind her. As she did, her leg knocked the woody bench which encircled inside the pavilion. She gasped as her footing gave way . . .

And just as she thought she would fall in an embarrassing manner, she found herself caught in firm and sturdy hands—her eyes wide when she realized that his face a few inches away from hers . . .

He sighed. "Do I really need to say it?" he asked teasingly.

Truth be told, he himself could hardly believe he was doing all this; what was it in her that sparked that streak of guts in him?

She nodded blankly, feeling her cheeks heat up as usual. Adrenaline pulsed through her crazily like no other as she stared into his deep, entrancing azure eyes. Those eyes seemed to lock her gaze, not allowing her to tear away . . .

There was a feeling which she could not place . . . somehow, something told her that he felt the same, just for that one moment . . .

And then she remembered that this was the second time that such occurrences happened. But she could hardly place the right memory in her mind . . .

And the spell was broken as fast as it came.

Cold relief washed over her. Oddly, she felt a tinge of disappointment along with it . . .

His face resumed its normal, serious manner. "I'm not too sure whether I can explain, but . . ." thereupon he smirked again, "let's just say I feel that I have . . . an attachment to you, my lady."

She nodded slowly, uncomprehendingly, again. Her world was turning upside-down.

Prince Isaac offered his hand with a courteous bow. "Well, shall we proceed?"

She extended her own shyly.

----o----

_Seriously, Mia, you have to control your heartbeat, you know! If the prince makes you get a seizure we can't do anything to help you. _

Mia involuntarily blushed. _Serac, please! _

_Well, you should be thankful that Fizz kept our mouths shut the whole time, then. _Serac, the Mercury djinni, snickered inside her mind.

"Lady Lushielle, are you all right?" A feminine voice interjected.

Mia looked sideways and smiled apologetically to Queen Dora. From her very first impression at the King and Queen of Vale, Mia was instantly reminded of her two parents, Miguel and Saya, in an instant. Both parties resembled a pair of kind, understanding and warm-hearted parents, and she was greatly thankful for that. Somehow, she felt less awkward around the royal family; it made her conveniently less shy around them.

"I'm so sorry for spacing out like that," she hurriedly apologised, "it must be so rude of me . . ."

_Yeah, thanks so much, Serac._

"No matter, Lady Lushielle," King Kyle reassured heartily with a warm smile. "We just hope that you will feel at home dining with us here. Please, do not hesitate to ask for anything."

"Luckily you've got me as a guide, eh, Tia?" Jenna teased playfully.

Mia nodded gratefully. She was thankful that Jenna and Garet were there, together with her, dining at the same table with the royal family. She could still remember clearly how much she was stared at (and perhaps scowled at, too) by the other women as Prince Isaac embarrassedly led her up to her parents, how she had introduced herself, stuttering at first before she regained her own composure (which surprised even herself), how she had been warmly welcomed by the King and Queen of Vale, and how Isaac had gallantly escorted her to her seat at the royal family's dining table.

Like a fascinated little child, she had seen the ballroom transformed into a buffet-style dining room. Competent waiters and waitresses, paying trips from the kitchen to and fro, now filled long tables that were arranged at both sides of the enormous room ever since the night began with all kinds and variety of palatable food. A shorter rectangular table was set near a raised platform at the very far end of the room specially for the royal family.

And now, here she sat, in the largest dining room she had ever seen. The rectangular table she was 'assigned' to only fitted ten occupants: the King and Queen on one end of the table with Kraden (the king's advisor, rather to her surprise) and Felix Segrave at the other end, herself next to the Queen, followed by Jenna and Garet on her left. Directly opposite her was the prince himself, followed by Ivan Ferrier and Sheba Raos, whom she was introduced to before they all settled down.

She was visibly impressed that Ivan was the prince's advisor, and was immediately struck by his high level of intelligence, and perhaps more so from Sheba. At first glance she would have doubts distinguishing the two of them; they certainly had points of similarity.

She was scarcely prepared for the surprise that she would recognise yet another face that night. Felix Segrave.

_The messenger . . . he is the head of communication of Vale? I hardly guessed . . . and sister Jenna never told me he was her brother, too! What if he recognises me? I guess it wouldn't matter much if he did, really . . . it should be all right, I hope. _

True enough, the dark brown-haired man occasionally shot her suspicious glances from his seat, as if he were doubting against himself. Other than that, Mia could never declare having seen another man as impassive and aloof as Felix seemed to be.

Stepping onto the platform, Prince Isaac clapped his hand resonantly. "If I may have everyone's attention for a minute, please?"

There was a general hush as the crowd stopped talking and focused all their attention on the Prince of Vale, young and handsome.

"Before dinner initiates, I would like to express my most heartfelt gratitude to everyone that has gathered here in this festive event tonight. Let us all give our thanks and appreciation to the Lord for the plentiful food prepared on the tables, for our crops have harvested well all this years and yielded us with magnificent food. Amen."

A murmur followed his prayer.

Prince Isaac smiled. "And without further ado, I declare the feast open! Let the feast begin!"

Everyone cheered, thunderous clapping filling the room as he descended down the platform and rejoined his family at the table. Guests, especially the male species, rose from their seats to get their lady companions food before helping themselves. Majority of the women remained in their seats, enjoying the pleasure of gossiping at large.

Whole meal grains, corn, all kinds of vegetables, delicious roasted turkey, lamb chops, a variety of soups, salads, steak-pies, cakes and tarts, just name whatever you could think of; it was all there. Appetisers, main dishes and desserts lastly followed their course. Expensive wine, champagne and an assortment of juices acted as a 'sidekick'. With the mellow music background performed by the playing orchestra, it was most pleasurable.

Isaac had strolled over to Mia's side, his face inquiring. "Would you like me to get you a plate of food, Lady Lushielle?" he asked hospitably.

"Uh . . . well, if it's not a bother . . ." she answered falteringly. Ever since he had admitted that he might have feelings for her, they had barely exchanged words the whole way back to the ballroom.

"That's partly what men are here for, Tia," Jenna reassured with a grin. "That's how the tradition goes. They get for us, we relax and do a bit of gossip."

"Does that mean I get a plate for you, or do you want to get one yourself?" Garet asked Jenna beside him.

Jenna hastily rose. "In my case, I'll get my food myself, thank you. The last time we had this kind of dinner you got me simply too much that I couldn't fit myself in a corset for the next three weeks."

"Well, that's thanks for you," Garet called after her as she departed.

"You shouldn't have forgotten that Jenna's diet is much, much smaller than yours, Garet," Sheba teased.

"Be careful I don't pile you up with one whole turkey, midget," the redhead taunted back lightheartedly.

Mia smiled prettily at the prince. "Then yes, thank you very much, Your Highness," she accepted. "Um . . ." she paused.

The redhead beside her came to the rescue. "What kind of food do we have, you want to ask? I could go into a whole list of them for you. Let's see . . ." he went into a series of details in a surprisingly rapid speed which Mia had difficulty catching.

"Says Garet, the expert eater," Ivan ended.

"Slow down, Garet," Queen Dora advised amusedly. "I don't quite think Lady Lushielle caught every word you said."

"That's rather true," Mia replied laughingly, "but I think a little of everything except for soups and desserts would be just fine," said she to Isaac.

"Very well. Garet, let's go."

King Kyle looked at his wife. "Should I get you a plate, my dear?"

Dora shook her head. "It's all right, Kyle. We have to socialise around, so I might as well get up."

Mia was left with Sheba only as the rest also left the table, conversing between each other merrily. She felt a trifled awkward as the blonde's intelligent, intent emerald eyes appraised her carefully for a few minutes.

Suddenly Sheba leaned forward. "What do you see in the prince, Lady Lushielle?"

She started. " . . . I beg your pardon?"

"You _do _like the prince, do you not?" Sheba asked.

She earned a blush from the aqua-haired young woman. "I . . ."

"I see. Well, at least I do see you are not bewitching him in any way." She nodded her head in satisfaction. "And he does seem to be quite taken in with you, indeed."

Mia blushed further. " . . . You really think so?"

"It hardly takes an effort to see that," she replied dryly. "If you know him as much as we all do, it is easy to see when he is caught spellbound by another."

"I . . ."

"Throwing all delicacies aside, you actually do have a really good chance," said Sheba candidly.

She became hot. "I did not come here exactly for that reason, you know," she blurted out.

The blonde cocked an eyebrow. "Oh? And what do you mean by that?"

Mia became flustered. How on earth was she to explain the whole crux of the situation she was dealing with?

"Nothing," she declared hastily.

----o----

Flint stared out of the window with an expression not unlike wistfully.

"And just when Isaac gets his quality time I'm supposed to stay quietly and behave in this cooped up room," he muttered grudgingly in his squeaky voice. "I wanna participate in it too, and see what kind of girl he picks!"

The Venus djinni sighed, his tail drooping down. Leaving the window, he hopped back onto Isaac's bed.

"What else more, stay in this room without food when there's real plenty downstairs. Who can tell me what's the logic in that?"

"I can."

Flint spun around. "What?"

Before he had time to defend himself, a wave of electric jolt sent it into momentary unconsciousness. The small, toy-sized djinni collapsed.

A figure materialised from the air. "So we have here a Venus djinni in hiding, eh? Interesting."

* * *

Author's Note: And once again, this fic is up and back! No guarantees it will be really speedy, but I hope this chapter is good enough to follow up the previous chapter's cliffhanger. Hopefully readers don't find it too cheesy or overloaded with excessive sugar and icing, and for those who find it pleasing, stay tuned for the next chapter with more of Aphrodite's influence:) Also, hopefully my style of writing hasn't washed away completely into the sea.

Oh, and updates on the status of my fics can be traced in my profile, so check it now and then if you wanna know how's it going.

Thank you so, so much to all readers and reviewers who still remember this story and stick by it! I really appreciate all your efforts, especially since my update intervals are just so long. And special thanks goes to enigma4ever for proofreading this chapter. As usual, comments, ideas, criticism and such are welcomed!


	14. Pleasure Before Peril

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality **

* * *

Chapter 14: Pleasure Before Peril

"Keep your guards up, men. Intruders do not care what they're interrupting, day or night."

"Yes, sir!"

Passing by two of their subordinates, Piers and Alex Lucerne sauntered through the castle corridors, lit up by beautiful and delicate chandeliers.

"Ivan's message is very disturbing," Piers confided, a troubled look on his handsome face.

"Well, we have to be practical, brother," said the other cerulean-haired man. "We have gone through the securities twice already, and what with His Majesty's decision to lessen guard duties tonight, I think we've done the best we could. What happens next will be beyond our control."

Piers frowned. "Yes, but still . . . Ivan appeared really quite perturbed, which is not a very good sign. I have always trusted his judgment. Whatever it is, it must have quite shaken him. Between you and I, I believe he has not told us everything."

Alex glanced at his brother quizzically. "Which may be a good decision that he took. Look at how distressed you are now, brother," he remarked dryly.

"Alex, this is no time for funny remarks," he chided. "We, as joint head generals, should know exactly what is our position—"

"—to be able to defend against any enemy attacks, yes, I know," Alex interrupted. "But look, Ivan's predictions may prove wrong. We can't do anything further than what we've done already. We're supposed to be enjoying ourselves tonight, remember? We never are 'off-duty' anymore," he reminded.

Piers sighed. "I guess you're right. I just pray that nothing short of calamity will occur."

They both stepped past the doors leading to the ballroom.

"Are you starving, brother? I know I am." Alex carefully put on his blue eye mask, followed suit by his elder brother.

Piers grinned. "You bet."

----o----

Now and then, Mia's mind strayed as she reflected on her stepfamily. She fervently hoped they had not recognised her beneath her disguise; as of yet, she saw no signs of Merlina and her stepsisters around. But perhaps they were observing her from their table, wherever they were, right now, seeing her past her disguise . . .

What a total silly she was not to have told the prince while she had the chance! Still, she reasoned out, since she was already _that _close to the prince, she was quite sure that she would have a second chance to relate everything. But . . .

_Oooh, the prince's stealing glances at you, Mia! _Spritz echoed excitedly.

Mia flushed at the remark. _Spritz, please, don't make me embarrassed now! I'm eating!_

_Yeah, and we don't get to eat all those scrumptious food when we're so near, _Serac complained. _That's real torture, I tell you. _

_I'm hungry myself, _Fizz grumbled.

_I'm just eating a very light meal, if that makes you all better. I've already promised Garet a dance, and I don't intend to waggle around with a full stomach._

_. . . Good God, that's even worse, Mia! You have the opportunity to the fullest but you don't take it, whereas we don't have opportunity AND we can't have it! _

The aqua-haired young woman stifled a giggle as she took in a spoonful of tasty fruit salad into her mouth as ladylike as she could. She kept reminding herself that she would have to mind her manners in front of royalty. AND be mindful of how much she consumed.

"You know, my dear—oh, if you'll excuse me for calling you that, I feel as though I'm well acquainted with you . . ." Queen Dora began, speaking apologetically with a smile.

Mia was again reminded of her kind, homely mother. "Oh no, please, it's all right, Your Majesty," she reassured.

"Well then, it's just as well," the Queen beamed. "As I was saying, I must say that your dress is absolutely fabulous. It's very beautiful! I couldn't help but just delight at the wonderful texture. The fabric and seams, everything; all such fine quality!"

Unbeknownst to her, Jenna nudged Garet in the ribs with a grin.

"Thank you. I admire it myself," Mia agreed.

"Did you make it yourself, by any chance?"

She shook her head firmly, horrified by the mere idea. "Oh no! I couldn't possibly be able to make such a wonderful dress." But wait, didn't that just open up . . . Oh no.

"Well, who made it, then? Perhaps we could employ his or her excellent services too, right Kyle?"

King Kyle looked at his wife amusedly. "Whatever you think is best, dear. I'm afraid I am not very . . . knowledgeable in these matters," he admitted, chuckling.

Mia shot Jenna a worried look. What on earth was she going to say?

"_It was made by a magic wand." _

Oh, what a picture their faces would be! They would think she was, what? Crackers? Hallucinating?

"I . . . er, it was my mother's best dress," she quickly answered. "She wore this dress during her wedding night dinner. That was all she told me."

"Speaking of your mother, Lady Lushielle," King Kyle began, "aren't your parents joining us in this event tonight?"

Mia shook her head sadly, smiling faintly. "Both of my parents have passed away, Your Majesty. Well, at least," she continued, "my mother did. My father disappeared when he went in search of some Tundaria Tower early this year, and he hasn't come back since. We've all lost hope as it is."

"Oh, I am so sorry to hear that, my dear," Dora sympathized, her hand patting Mia's tenderly. Oh, how much did she miss those motherly gestures! The world was twisted if Merlina ever, ever did that. "Don't fret too much, though. He might be alive and well."

"I know . . . but even then, he would have probably lost his memory, otherwise I'm sure he would have sent word to me a long time ago."

"Tundaria Tower?" Kraden suddenly interrupted from the other end of the table. "Did I just hear that?"

"Yes, you did," Sheba answered amusedly.

The aged man adjusted his glasses where they once more sunk to the tip of his nose, much to Mia's amusement. "Well, I believe there was an expedition to search for the Tundaria Tower once early this year. Is that what you're talking about?"

"Yes," Mia agreed eagerly.

"If I'm not mistaken, one or two of our Valean volunteers joined in the expedition as well," said Prince Isaac.

"And how was it? Did they find this tower?" Jenna inquired.

Ivan shook his head. "The details were reported to me. It was a failure. The mist surrounding the south polar regions was too thick for them to breakthrough."

"But what happened to them?" Mia pressed on.

The blond boy shrugged his shoulders. "The crew decided to make a retreat back. The extremely icy temperature made them susceptible to pneumonia easily, even with terrific warm clothing. Not only that, but during their sail back, apparently they were hit by a storm. Luckily majority of the crew survived."

"Then . . ." Mia sighed.

"I'm sorry."

Once again, Kraden interrupted the conversation. "But if you like, I can probably get you a list of those involved in the expedition and those that reported back. Maybe they will know something of your father, Lady . . . er, Mia."

Mia almost received a heart attack. _How . . . how does he know my real name?_ Looking sideways, she noticed that Jenna and Garet was feeling as astonished as she was, though trying their hardest to mask it.

"It's Tia, Master Kraden," Felix corrected, speaking for the first time. "And Lady Lushielle, if you desire to be formal."

Realising that it was just a matter of incorrect pronunciation, Mia sighed in relief inwardly. She deeply wondered whether Felix had noticed her flinching visibly a moment ago, because he seemed to be scrutinising her very closely.

"Oh yes, that's right. I'm afraid I am very terrible with names."

"It's all right. Thank you so much, Master Kraden," said she gratefully.

Looking up, she saw the prince opposite her giving her a comforting glance. Their eyes met for a brief second.

She smiled back.

_Ah, should I interrupt?_

_Oh, do keep quiet, Serac!_

----o----

"Look at that little, annoying girl, Mother," said Karst. "How so she sucks up to the dear prince and his family!"

Merlina shook her head reprovingly. "We should not be like spiteful cats, my dear daughter. I am actually very curious about her background, you know."

"Knowing this family, I wouldn't be surprised if she was some sort of tramp, if it were not for her clothes. What low standards they really have sometimes! I really do think—"

"If I may speak for a moment," a male voice intercepted.

Seated at the table, the three females spun their heads up to face a man approximately in his late twenties, a confident smirk plastered on his face. His pale bluish skin that makes male Proxians so distinguishable from a crowd was almost identical to his hair dye. Had he not wore a proper tuxedo but instead adorning his usual light blue clothes back in Prox, he might have been mistaken for a statue at the merest glance; so pale was his features that only his ruby red eyes, characteristic of all Proxians, showed any real sign of life.

"Ah, there you are, Saturos," Menardi exclaimed. "Where have you been for the past ten minutes? When I looked to my left you were still there, but after a few moments you had vanished into thin air!"

The man named Saturos chuckled. "Pardon me, but I had something to attend to. In fact," he continued pleasantly in his husky voice, "I think that the three of you will be very interested in what I have just discovered ten minutes ago."

"And what news may it be?" Merlina inquired curiously.

"I have just added a new Djinn into my list of collection."

----o----

Prince Isaac fully supported the proverb his mother always told him, "Good things come to those who wait."

True, he was about to give up the whole rigmarole of a ball; but had he not still waited until he had almost reached the very peak of despair, and found himself to be rewarded at last? Had he not been patient and persevered through all the whinnying and giggling voices of the dozens as he endlessly failed to find his match, and to find that what he sought for had actually come right up to him?

(Even though it was of the merest accident, of course, but did it not just make the whole thing even more meaningful?)

Still, of course, if _she _really was **_the_** needle in the haystack he was seeking for. There always had to be room for the slightest doubt.

His keen, alert azure eyes studied the laughing aqua-haired young woman opposite his seat, chattering gaily to his parents and friends. He was glad of the fact that Lady Lushielle was a companionable, friendly person, and was remarkably surprised at the rapid speed of which she had warmed up to his parents. It was all quite evident that his dear parents were just as delighted and enchanted as he himself was with the beautiful young lady.

Thank Venus his tastes were quite compatible with his parents, at least.

He carefully noted the sharp curve of the chin, the slender, transparently-gloved arms, the silky, lustrous aqua hair carefully made up, the soft apologetic laugh when she made a slip or two in her manner of speech, and most of all, the merry, laughing sapphire eyes . . .

_Dash it all, I'm really losing it like a fool . . . get a grip, Isaac! If anything, she should be someone that I know for half a year, and not half an hour! _

"Making sheep's eyes, aren't we?" Ivan teased.

Isaac felt a tinge of red creeping up his cheeks as he almost dropped his fork, linked to a piece of exquisitely cooked mutton. "Ivan! I am most absolutely not committing such a folly!" he reproached, ensuring that he kept his voice in low tones, unheard by the young woman opposite him.

The prince's advisor grinned. "Just pulling your leg, Prince. As a matter of fact, you denying it so vehemently essentially defeats its own purpose," he replied, his grin widening. "Still, she _is _quite a beauty, isn't she? Where is she from anyway?"

"Imil."

"Ah, I see . . . I was right in my assumptions that she isn't a noble then."

"Well, it doesn't matter whether she is or is not, does it?"

Ivan smiled at the protest. "Of course not, Your Highness. Speaking of the snowy regions, I heard from my sister that the winds are picking up fast, and if she is right, we may experience bad snowstorms at the beginning of January next year."

"Enough talking now, you two," King Kyle unexpectedly interrupted genially. "If I know both of you, relapsing to official matters will be but in a matter of time, and which I don't quite intend to have such matters discussed on a pleasant, agreeable event like this." His eyes twinkled warmly.

His son laughed. "I'm afraid Ivan always manages to drown me in that little syndrome of his somehow," he joked back.

"Which qualifies me to be your advisor in time to come, see," the short blond boy pointed out intelligently, grinning.

"I'm afraid I've been sitting down too much already, Kyle," Queen Dora intercepted with a chuckle. "Our chef has surpassed himself this time; you really must grant him a big raise for being able to attract my attention with his appetizing cuisines. All us women corsets are being dangerously stretched up to the hilt."

Laughing gaily, King Kyle rose. "As much as I would love to continue this joyful conversation, I really mustn't forget to entertain my other guests. Coming, dear?" he looked beside at his wife.

"Of course." Turning to Mia seated on her left, Queen Dora spoke brightly, "I'm really sorry to leave you, my dear, but there's no escape being a hostess, especially on parties like this. But do enjoy yourself, all right?"

The young woman smiled. "I will, thank you very much, Your Highness. It's already been such a pleasure meeting you," she added.

"Oh, and son," King Kyle tapped his son's shoulder, "your mother and I did not initiate the first dance at the very beginning to wait for an hour before you take up the dancing yourself," he teased in low tones, out of earshot from the aqua-haired young woman. "Don't take too long, that's my advice."

Isaac watched his father leave along with his mother with mixed feelings of embarrassment and amusement. Was his father indirectly telling him that they . . . approved . . .? Well, well!

"That's quite some fatherly advice for you, eh Prince?" Ivan nudged with a smirk.

"Ivan!"

----o----

"Well, have you told him yet?"

Mia looked inquiringly back. "Told him what—" Then realisation dawned upon her as she realised what was Jenna talking about.

"Well . . . no," she admitted apologetically, her eyes immediately downcast, ashamed of herself. To think that for a moment she had actually _forgotten _what she had momentarily cast aside in a fit of happiness and pleasure! How . . .

Both Jenna and Garet looked dismayed and surprised. Her cheeks inflamed at their gaze.

"Well . . ." Garet paused hesitantly. The prince's godfather scratched the scalp of his head thoughtfully.

On the other hand, Jenna was less patient and direct to the point. "Well, why not? There was ample time for you to tell him everything before dinner! What happened?" she demanded.

"I—I don't know," Mia stuttered uncertainly, her eyes looking pleadingly into Jenna's. "Nothing really happened. We went for a walk outside, and—he was very . . . attentive, I guess," she explained softly, a faint smile crossing her face.

"He would," Garet grinned.

"We were just talking about some things . . . and . . ." She broke in the middle of her speech with a groan. "Oh, I don't know! There was once when I got to open up the subject, but I . . . just didn't; and when I finally got the guts to tell him, the gong sounded for dinner," she finished remorsefully.

Jenna sighed.

"But why didn't you tell him the first time you got the chance, Mi—I mean Tia?" Garet asked patiently.

"I don't know why myself," said the aqua-haired young woman, shaking her head exasperatedly. "I must have been insane not to have snatched up that opportunity! But . . ." she hesitated, choosing her words carefully with difficulty, "I was just thinking at that time . . . that this event and all was probably very important to him, and it crossed my mind that I would have . . . _spoiled _it by telling him everything that we know," she said quietly.

"I know that it's all for the best if he himself knows about it," she hurriedly continued in a rush, "but I just thought that . . . yeah," she ended lamely.

Garet looked at her sympathetically. _She's got it really hard on him, I guess . . . at least that makes our job easier_, he mused

"Well," his crimson-haired companion said, "I suppose you _do _have a point there . . . so what would you suggest? Leave all the work to you?" she asked.

"What do you mean by that, Jenna?" Garet asked.

"Well, obviously—how do I put it?—_he _has quite made up his mind, and unless he gets bored of you," said she, directing a apologetic grin to Mia, "you're quite definitely going to be . . . uh, plastered to him the whole time. So if we don't tell him about it, then you're the only one who can really stop anything from happening if _they _try a second time."

'Sarah Lushielle' nodded thoughtfully. "That's true . . . but how about the two of you?"

Garet grinned impishly. "You forget that we should give the two of you breathing space to 'communicate', you know."

"It's really up to you if you prefer not to tell," Jenna assured. "Just that you'll have to be double alert, I guess. It's your decision."

"Then . . . I think I'm willing to do that and take the risk," Mia answered slowly, then frowned. "But I can't really see how do I monitor every drink and other stuff that he takes, even though I may be within centimeters from him."

"Speaking of centimetres," Master Kraden suddenly interposed alarmingly without warning, "there was this fable that circulated around for quite some time regarding how the term centimeters originated from the word centipedes. You see, it went like this . . ." the white-haired learned man went on, directing his attention to her.

Mia had held a hand to her chest in half-fright and surprise. "Is his ear that good?" she inquired discreetly.

Both redheads shrugged. "Selective hearing, maybe?" Jenna suggested with a grin.

----o----

"Oww . . ." Flint muttered painfully, rubbing his tiny brown face with his dolphin-like tail. He felt his nerves a little tingly, and immediately the little creature remembered what had happened to him earlier. How long had he been unconscious, he wondered? And who was that opponent that had struck him down? A hundred questions were swimming around his head.

" . . . And I end up in a CAGE?"

True enough, the Venus djinni was locked in a small round cage, barely enough room for spacious movement. The surroundings outside his little cell seemed normal enough; it appeared to be of a guest room, by the odds of it. A bed was situated at one side of the room, with a clothes cabinet beside it, a small desk (which his cage was placed on top on) and a couple of chairs next to it.

Definitely NOT the castle.

"Well, this is too offending!" Flint complained. "The cage's too sturdy for me to break open, so what? Stay here and wait until whoever who caught me arrives? Just where am I anyway?"

Estimating that he had not been unconscious for long, Flint judged that he was probably not very far from the castle, and Isaac. But that was hardly the problem. Now he was stuck in some cage out of his own will, and was as good as dead if the person who captured him was some hysterical maniac, who loved to attack cute little Djinn and chop them to mincemeats.

Come to think of it, was his assailant an—Adept?

"Today's a bad day," he concluded gloomily.

----o----

"—But of course, the rumour was declared by the authorities to be of no accuracy, and quite rightly so. It probably was just someone's idea of a joke to relate centipedes with centimetres due to the fact that the first two syllables are the same," Kraden finished triumphantly with a smile, looking at the occupants at the table.

Although the aged man typically started out on a nondescript story that hardly received attention, the unusual length (which he talked nonstop) somehow compelled the others to listen. Which, in the end, partially contributed to the fact that most of the listeners hardly understood the whole story, especially when it contained alien terms.

"Is he always like that?" Mia asked timidly to Jenna.

"Don't ask me," the godmother replied amusedly, "I've hardly met him before, and I'm starting to think that I should be glad of that."

Prince Isaac overheard, and smiled. "Master Kraden isn't that bad, really," he answered laughingly. "It's just a little hobby of his to talk nineteen to the dozen sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Ivan echoed unbelievingly with a make believe dismayed face. "Don't bet on it."

Mia joined in the laughs around the table while the aged man only looked around blankly. _Things are really going off wonderfully, _she thought. _If only it could stay like this for the whole time . . . _

Just then, the brilliant orchestra started on the introduction of a new song. The tune played struck a somewhat familiar note in her half-absorbed mind. She hummed absently out loud together with it as she cracked her mind to remember the details of the song. _Now where . . . _

"Of course!" she suddenly exclaimed. "Golden Harvest!"

The golden-haired prince opposite her smiled. "That's right. You know of it, Lady Lushielle?"

"Know it?" she chaffed back playfully. "Memorised every single beat and step of it! It's one of my favourite pieces," she declared happily.

"Care to elaborate more?" Garet queried.

"Every time after harvest, we have a festival in Imil, where it's become akin to a village tradition to dance to this song. The title fits in. It's really sort of a symbol marking our delight at the wonderful crops harvested, I guess," she explained, a vague smile coming onto her face as she remembered clearly how her late mother had patiently taught her the dance steps when she was in her adolescent years, and her heart suddenly yearned for the sweet, gentle mother.

Her memories of her happy days in her hometown were fresh, and she knew it would always be, no matter how many years passed. She missed the simple but blissful events that happened, missed the cheerful friendship among the villagers, missed taking care of the sick and elderly in her small hospital, missed the unimportant, daily activities even. All these thoughts passed in a fleeting second.

Oh, what would she give to return to her home!

Isaac chuckled. "It seems that our reasoning may be different, but the major point is still the same," he observed with a twinkle in his eye. "I especially requested it to be played tonight, as it has always been my favourite song ever since I first listened to it."

"And it sounds so much nicer with the orchestra playing," Mia added with elation. "Back then, we hardly had the complete set of instruments."

"Would you like to dance with me, then?" the prince asked on the spur of the moment. "It's been quite some time since I found a really good partner at it," he admitted with a grin.

Mia was surprised at his sudden invitation, but nevertheless accepted with unmasked alacrity. "I'd be delighted to, Your Highness."

"Catch you later, Tia," said Jenna with a 'have-fun look' on her smiling face.

Rising from their respective chairs, both parties made their way around the table, whereby Mia duly placed her gloved hand in his own, letting him guide her to the dance floor with poise and assurance.

----o----

Piers Lucerne looked around to his amusement. The high elites of Vale's soldiers were all grouped together in a table, him and Alex included. That meant a lot of 'male talk' among the whole lot, which rarely happened due to their hectic duties everyday.

He was not one for a talkative gossip, but found himself sometimes even entertaining those gossips.

"Look at that smart ol' Lance! Courting ladies nonstop with those pretty looks and smile of his. Girls nowadays just don't know what to look for other than a pretty lil' face."

The cerulean-haired man laughed. "You would do just the same if you could, now wouldn't you?"

"Aye, perhaps that I would. But I've grown past those ages now, General; offering my services to my country's all this lil' poor fish ever needs to do now."

"Some irresponsible youngsters think they can just woo pretty young girls and give empty promises. Oh, that happens quite often, especially during the old times, I tell you. Luckily we keep these new freshies to toe nowadays with their manners."

Alex Lucerne laughed as his eyes swept over the whole scene. At the back of his mind, he was very curious to know who was currently in Prince Isaac's good books. It was a popular rumour that this lady now seated at the royal family's table was the King Hydros' (King of the famous country of Lemuria) unknown daughter; but then again, the Duke was not the only one who possessed blue hair in the world, Alex thought with a smile, remembering his and Piers' hair colour as well.

Thinking of blue hair suddenly reminded him of Mia. He remembered how, in his early childhood days, he and Piers had solemnly took turns to brush seven-year-old Mia's long aqua hair during the times they played together. He remembered clearly how he himself had accidentally entangled the comb in her hair once, which resulted in a few strands of hair stuck onto the comb when it was finally pulled out, and a sulky (but still cute, he thought) Mia.

Of course, she had forgotten all about it the next day, like the gentle girl she was. Evoking back those youthful memories made him chuckle to himself.

But it was separation when the three of them years later, he recalled bitterly. Both he and Piers never saw her again from the time when she left with her father, Miguel, to Prox years ago. Both brothers had missed her dearly ever since, especially himself, as he was closer to Mia's age.

He wondered how was his little cousin faring . . . wait, she wasn't little anymore. How old would she be now? Twenty-two? Hardly in her teens anymore. Chances were that she was already married to someone nice who would take good care of her by now, he realised. Still, they were rather surprised that she had never been in touch with them after all these years . . .

"What are you thinking of, Alex?" Piers asked curiously, snapping him out of his reverie.

"Mia," he answered. "Don't you miss her?"

The answer immediately came. "Of course." Alex knew his brother's thoughts were running on the same line as his. "She's just like our younger sister, really . . . I just hope she is enjoying herself, wherever she is."

"Any blue-haired girl that I see I can somehow visualise Mia in them," said Alex laughingly. "Maybe even that lady that our Prince Isaac seems to be interested in."

"And this is the song that she likes best," Piers observed as the orchestra played the familiar tune of 'Golden Harvest'. "She would have enjoyed it very much if she were here, I'm sure."

Little did Piers know she _was _there . . .

----o----

A different atmosphere seemed to enter the room as the crowd made way for the prince, and a good deal of glances thrown at his female partner. Nevertheless, all the couples at the dance floor were ready for the incoming music, and Mia couldn't help but feel slightly nervous at the close contact between the two of them as she clasped her left hand with his own, and her other hand on his muscular shoulder.

_I better not somehow miss a step and mess it all up, pray Mercury. I've done this many times before, so why should it be different this time, right?_

Starting off with a cheerful country-like rhythm, she smiled inwardly as she moved three steps forward together with Isaac and then the opposite way, reminiscing the past dances she had enjoyed so much. As the two of them danced, she observed that the prince was, indeed, a good dancer himself. It felt so much like the old times when she danced in her simple blue frock, only much, much better.

She laughed girlishly as she and Isaac twisted arms before he held her hand high while she spun around merrily, her pretty skirts turning a full circle. "This is so much fun!" she uttered delightedly, a wide smile gracing her features.

"I shall have to take some credit at being a good partner, then," Isaac replied good-humouredly, both of them simultaneously clapping their hands twice before holding hands again.

"Takes two to tango, true," she agreed readily. "And that would mean I am a good partner also?"

He responded gallantly, "But of course. You are a natural, Lady Lushielle."

And he meant it. She had looked so poised and graceful in her steps, and that sincere, appealing smile of hers seemed to (he entertained the thought almost ludicrously) light up the whole room with it alone, enhancing her dazzling features even more than ever. He could hardly take his eyes off her for a minute without appreciating the fineness of her beauty.

Venus, was he the only one who saw her so beautiful? This must be some kind of crazy, foolhardy infatuation he was having with her. If she indeed were so stunning to others as well, she would have been already married to someone else (which he was observant enough to notice her ring finger still 'free' of any bondage), right?

(On that subject, he would have hell to pay if he brought a married woman over to his table, incidental or not, he mused wryly in his head.)

But here she was, young and beautiful. She was . . . dare he say it? Divine.

Like a fair maiden.

"Wha—ah!"

Prince Isaac was suddenly jolted back to his rightful senses at his partner's unexpected yelp. Only when he felt an unfamiliar terrain under his left foot when they crossed arms that he realised with the utmost shock that he had stepped on Mia's right foot accessorised in her glass high-heels. It was but a brief moment before he hastily and guiltily removed his foot at once, while they continued on the dance as the music progressed.

It took him all the nerve he had to look at his partner, who failed concealing a grimace at the sudden pain.

"I—my utmost apologies, Lady Lushielle—" Isaac apologised weakly, looking as ashamed and guilt-ridden he could ever be. Mia was instantly reminded vaguely of a young, shame-faced boy. "I—I didn't mean to—"

_So much for boasting myself a good partner just a moment ago. What was the phrase again? Pride comes before a downfall? _

Mia slightly shook her head, flashing him an understanding yet apologetic smile. He wondered why. "No, no, it's really quite all right, Your Highness. It's not like I've never been stepped on before," she assured.

"Still . . . I really can't quite forgive myself for making such a mistake." Though, Isaac was quite sure that he had not accidentally overshot his steps until he would have intercepted her footing . . . still, it was his cue to apologise, whether it was his fault or otherwise. His foot did the deed.

"Does it . . . hurt?" he asked faintly.

She laughed briefly. "No, not really. You're quite a light dancer, if I may say so, Your Highness. But really," she continued, her face this time somewhat a little flushed, "it was my fault that you stepped on my foot. I—didn't move away."

"I see . . . and why not?" he asked curiously. Remembering her jubilation at the song, he hardly thought that she would have suddenly forgotten the next step out of no reason.

To his surprise, she became even more pronouncedly embarrassed. "It's just that I—uh . . . I don't quite know how to explain . . ." she stammered. "I just forgot to . . . move, I guess—when you—I'm sorry, I mean Your Highness—said that . . ." she trailed off timidly.

Who wouldn't when _he_, THE prince, actually said that to _her? _He had whispered it out with . . . yes, unmasked admiration that was so convincing, even though in soft tones. It was the lamest excuse for being stunned and motionless to get stepped on, but hey, that _was _the reason, believe it or not.

Waltzing with her on the dance floor as the music picked up speed, Isaac cocked his head in mild confusion as he struggled to remember all that he had said earlier on. Just what had he said that triggered such an odd reaction from her? He voiced out his question, mystified.

"Um . . ." If she weren't dancing, she would be shuffling her feet uncertainly and casting her look on the ground. "I wouldn't quite . . . like to say . . ."

Then realisation hit upon him like a ton of heavy bricks. It couldn't be that he had actually voiced _that _out loud—?

"Oh."

Mia nodded her head dumbly. "You . . . really think so?" she asked nervously with an unexpected burst of courage.

Isaac had the grace to blush at his slip. If he knew women, such compliments _would _make them stunned enough, he thought. "Well . . . since I've already unconsciously said that, it should be, shouldn't it?" he answered slowly, thinking.

"Well, you could always take it back anytime . . ." said she softly as she stepped back into position again for another far-off spin, lowering her head shyly. This dance was progressing in a way she never expected it to be.

_Oh, he looks so handsome when he looks like that . . . Oh stop it! I'm behaving as though I'm still sixteen or something, for goodness sake! _

The golden-haired prince mustered a grin. "Then I won't," said he, and would say no more.

" . . . Thank you," was all she murmured after he caught her from her spin, and the dance ended.

----o----

"Interesting. The prince himself is an Adept?"

Saturos shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "That I cannot say, but if he is, the whole world would have known it by now. Speaking of which," he continued with a smirk, "how did _it _go?"

"No good," Menardi shook her head angrily, her blonde curls swaying. "Some idiot girl got into our way by chance. Who is, apparently, the current potential daughter-in-law to-be."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Ah, I see . . . a pity. And the next step is—?"

"Do you still practice your illusion technique?" Karst cut in sharply.

"Not very often, but probably still effective," was his candid reply. "Don't you practice it yourself, Menardi?" he inquired, directing the question at the blonde young woman.

Menardi nodded her head. "Yes, but I'm afraid I'm rather inadequate for this job, especially if it is true that the prince is an Adept. He would possess higher and better resistance than normal people then. You should do, since you taught me all about it yourself."

"So you have use of it?" he asked, very much interested.

"Perhaps," Merlina said gravely. "We may need your services, Saturos. It will be rather risky, but—"

"Risks!" Saturos smirked. "What are risks to me? Tell me what is on your mind, and let's get this over and done with."

----o----

"Well, looks like things are proceeding well so far," Sheba remarked casually to Felix.

The brown-haired man nodded. "Perhaps. Still, don't let your guard down."

"Of course. Hopefully everything will go off without a hitch."

"I just hope you're right, Sheba," Ivan answered gravely.

* * *

A/N: Looks like it's been a monthly update for this chapter, but latter chapters will be taking a longer time, since a busier year of school will be starting again in January. Probably one or two more chapters before the night finally ends (after so many chapters of it already).

Bunch of thanks goes to sweetmaiden for proofreading this chapter, and thank you also to all reviewers for the previous chapter! As usual, comments, suggestions, constructive criticism and advice are gladly welcomed.


	15. The Wheels of Motion Move

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

* * *

Chapter 15: The Wheels of Motion Move

* * *

"Ahem. Switch, please." Jenna coughed politely with a grin, Prince Isaac standing next to her on the dance floor.

Mia laughed. "As you like, sister Jenna."

"Thanks for the dance, Tia. For someone who doesn't really attend a lot of dances, you're a really good dancer," Garet praised enthusiastically, as he detached his hand from hers and took Jenna's own.

"You're welcome, Garet. You're not a bad dancer yourself," she appraised.

"You mean, rather clumsy," Jenna piped in teasingly. "You wouldn't know how many times my toes have been the victims of his weight especially during the early times, I tell you!"

"Hey, that's uncalled for!" he replied reproachfully. "I'm not that bad now, am I, Isaac?"

The prince smiled. "Better than the average dancer, don't worry," said he, taking Mia's slim hand in his with another engaging smile. Immediately after their first dance together, there had been a certain amount of eye contact lacking between them due to shyness. He was amused to find that he would always be the one to make the first move again (though, of course, if it went vice versa he wouldn't be a man now, would he?).

A new song started then, and both redheads drifted away from them gradually as they danced together in accordance to the slow rhythm. As Isaac led her in the dance, Mia was amused to see her rather authoritative stepmother in Garet's arms, whom she always did have a tendency to egg on.

"It's really cute to see the two of them together," Mia remarked openly, directing her gaze at Isaac's golden jacket.

"Hmm? Garet and Jenna?"

She nodded. "I think they make a cute couple, don't they, Your Highness?" she asked, looking directly at him with a grin.

He cocked his head to one side in thought. "Well . . . yes, I suppose," he agreed slowly, then his mouth slowly quirked upward. "Though 'cute' is not exactly my preference of a suitable adjective."

"Naturally, 'cute' is a word more frequent in girls' dictionaries after all, Your Highness," she answered readily, as he spun her around.

"Isaac."

"What?"

"I would prefer it very much if you could . . . call me by my name and not by my title," Isaac explained hesitatingly.

Mia's heat skipped a beat. _Mercury, there it goes again! Calm down, Mia, calm down . . . _

_Yeah, please do. We don't need a drum in here, Mia, _Serac joked in her mind.

_Shut up, Serac! Don't you ruin these kind of moments! . . . Oops. Sorry, _Spritz apologised.

She decided to ignore them. "Um . . ." she paused. How could she just call royalty so casually? But seeing his eager, encouraging look on her, she melted and finally gave in. ". . . I-saac," she pronounced slowly, the word unfamiliar in her mouth.

Prince Isaac almost beamed. "Right."

_Venus, why am I so happy over something trivial like this? I'm grinning like an idiot._

But deep inside, he knew the answer was right there all along. This was one big, major step he had taken, compared to the other hundreds of women in that same room. He had just spontaneously demanded that she call him by his name, and he did not know what factor exactly drove him to such impulsive actions.

"Er . . . are you sure you want me to . . . uh, drop the 'Prince', too?" Mia asked curiously. Only close relatives and friends of the prince could actually call him by his name, and she certainly did not belong in either category.

He thought for a second, and then nodded. "By all means, if you wish."

Mia decided to stop forming her own hypothesis about things and to just go along with the flow. "Then call me by my name too, _Isaac,_" said she with a playful grin, emphasising his name on purpose.

"Which one?" he countered, matching her grin.

She did not reply him instantly. It was as if she had hardly heard him. To his intense surprise, the aqua-haired woman's face suddenly changed to a look of surprise mixed with disbelief and . . . what was it? Hope? Then he realised that she was not looking at him. She was looking _past _him, her eyes wide-eyed and mouth slightly open.

"Are you all right, uh . . ." (he had difficulty with her name now; the proper one would be Lady Lushielle, of course, but hadn't she just asked him to call her by her name? And yet she had not specified any name, since it was either Sarah or Tia, or maybe even she had other names, though it was pretty unlikely.)

He was even more astonished when she suddenly pulled away from his hold, her eyes still focused on behind him. "Excuse me for a moment. I must . . ." she left her sentence unfinished as she moved hastily as fast as she could out from the crowd of dancers who were still dancing to the music.

"Hey, wait! Where—where are you going?" Isaac asked, but he wondered whether she could hear him in this distance. Dodging dancers that came along his way, he strained his eyes to focus on the beautiful young woman struggling to escape from the dancing crowd. He could not fathom an inch of her actions. What was it that distracted her attention so much that she would actually leave him, in the middle of a dance?

He wanted to know.

Prince Isaac followed her out from the dance floor, and out through one of the side doors of the ballroom.

----o----

"What in the world—"

"What's happened now, Sheba?" Ivan inquired with surprise, looking at the blond girl. Both of them were on the balcony of the ballroom, scrutinising the whole crowd from above and generally getting the whole view of the ballroom.

"Look! The lady with Isaac—what's her name now—just ditched him and went off!" Sheba exclaimed, pointing a finger at a section of the dance floor.

Ivan's eyes went wide. "What? Really?" He directed his gaze at where she pointed, and whistled. "Wow! She really is going off, and he's going after her! I really do wonder what happened between them."

"Yeah, me too," she agreed. "The prince must have struck a really bad note with her to have her chucking him away in the middle of a dance!"

"Looking pretty desperate too, I should say," Ivan added. "I always thought Isaac had a way with women."

His companion laughed. "Doesn't he? She seemed pretty fine with him earlier on. Maybe she just needs to go to the washroom."

"But anyone should know exiting the room through the side door that leads to the castle grounds doesn't get you there," he pointed reasonably.

"True. I was just offering a suggestion nonetheless," Sheba answered, shrugging her shoulders.

Ivan fingered his chin thoughtfully with a grin. "I'm really itching to know what's up between them."

"Don't start suggesting you want to follow them and eavesdrop, because it's physically impossible at the rate we're so far away from them now," she reminded with a teasing smile. "Besides, it's strictly unethical."

He responded with a smirk. "It was an idea, nonetheless."

----o----

Karst suddenly clutched her sister's arm. "Sister, here's our chance!"

"Excuse me," Menardi politely said to a man whom she was conversing with. Walking away, she let herself be led by Karst towards Merlina and Saturos. "What is it, Karst?"

"Just look, Menardi!" Her mother pointed excitedly.

Looking in the direction pointed, Menardi saw 'Lady Lushielle' exiting one of the side doors of the ballroom, hastily followed by the prince.

"Well, aren't we ready to set off as well?" Saturos asked sardonically, smirking.

"Hurry!" Merlina prompted. "I'll give you an excuse, Menardi."

"All right, mother." Nodding briefly, Menardi followed in pursuit of the two disappearing figures together with Karst and Saturos without a second hesitation.

Pushing against the crowd, Menardi thought hard. "We'll have to improvise a little bit by putting her into illusion too to get rid of her, but I think I should be able to handle it," said she, "It's all up to you to deliver the blow, Karst!"

"I can't wait to put my technique to use again after so long," Saturos said, smirking confidently.

"It better work," Karst cut in sharply.

"Hmph. You will regret doubting my abilities."

----o----

She could hardly believe her eyes. She was sure that her mind was playing tricks on her, but on the other hand, she was just as positive that what she just saw was real. So she was going to make sure.

She wanted to. She _needed _to.

The image of two young men, both of the same shade as her hair, their faces smiling warmly at her, flashed across her mind.

How long was it since she had last seen both of them? It was probably just a few years since she went her own separate way with her late father, but it felt like a decade to her. She couldn't even begin to count how many times she had longed with all her heart and soul to meet them once more again, especially in her times of misery.

A feeling she could scarcely explain wrung her heart to almost desperation.

She couldn't be mistaken.

She wanted to be right, that it _was _Alex (or Picard, for that matter) and not just some other guy with blue hair. Height wise the unknown blue-haired man differed from both cousins whom she once knew, but of course, there was a gap of a few years after all. That was easy.

But it was the gait, the manner how he carried himself with that unique self-assurance that made her sure. Sure that she could finally meet her two dear cousins whom she had missed so greatly in the unlikeliest places she could ever think of. That man was so strikingly familiar . . .

And even so sure that she turned all ears and eyes deaf and blind to the poor prince. A part of her senses reprimanded her that she had just practically abandoned THE prince in the most outrageous way and time possible, but she cast it off. This was far more important to her.

All the same, she wondered whether he was following her. Vaguely, she thought he did. Oh well, now was no time to stop for explanations. Regretfully, that would have to wait until she had settled _her _business.

"Alex! Picard!" Mia hollered as loud as she could. Not that it could create any commotion with the current amount of sounds and noises in the air.

_Please, just turn back and look at me . . . _

Alas, the young man continued his brisk walk, exiting the side door into the castle grounds.

Mia wrestled with the mass crowd, holding the skirt part of her lovely dress with a hand as she feverishly tried to make haste in her glass shoes.

And by the time she did the same, he was nowhere to be seen.

_Where? Where did he go? _

Mia looked around frantically, but all was in vain. Not giving up so soon, however, she wandered around determinedly in search for him. Thinking that he perhaps entered the gardens, she unhesitatingly stepped into the captivating paradise also. This time, its beauty and splendour hardly touched her.

The garden was like a little forest on its own, quaint and mysterious. She ambled around intently, but after a few minutes of walking and searching, leg fatigue overtook her and she finally stopped for rest on a wooden bench under a huge cherry tree. She definitely had to get used to walking in high-heeled shoes, she thought. Sighing sadly, her hope and eagerness diminished like a candlelight fire blown out. And she was just so close . . . !

_Maybe you can still look around the ballroom, Mia_, Fizz encouraged her, speaking softly in her mind. _He'll probably make a return there some time or other. _

_Yeah, let's not give up hope yet! _Spritz echoed.

She smiled. No matter how naughty her Djinn were sometimes, they always tried to make her happy and cheerful whenever she was down. _Thanks, you guys. You're right; let's go back to the ballroom._

_And give your explanation to the poor prince who's probably hunting the whole place down for you by now, you mean. _

Mia flushed at Serac's comment, guilt washing over her. She really must have left him so bewildered and puzzled, the poor man. She imagined if this sort of 'ditching' ever happened around someone like THE Prince Isaac, it was probably and possibly the other way round, and not the woman leaving the man instead.

_Yup, right again. Maybe that's why you're special, you know? _Serac joked again.

She rolled her eyes before getting up and smoothing down her dress. "All right, let's go! Now, which is the way out again?" she wondered aloud.

_Left, I think, _Spritz suggested.

But Fizz immediately objected to the suggestion by proposing the opposite way. _Trust me, Mia. I'm the better one at directions._

_All right, you say so, _Mia reminded the little Mercury djinni in her mind, feeling somewhat quite cheerful. _If I somehow still can't get out of this mini-forest with your directions, you're to blame._

_Fizz, _Spritz suddenly broke in quietly, _can you feel . . .?_

"Feel what?" Mia spoke aloud.

_Nothing, _was the immediate, usual cheerful reply.

"Alright," she replied back, and started off, stepping gingerly in her high-heels.

And a few minutes later . . .

"Fizz!" _Aren't we back where we started? Look! Everything looks the same!_

_. . . Oops. I'm so sorry! _Fizz sounded very crestfallen.

Mia sighed. _Never mind. We'll just go in the other direction then. _

. . . And ended up in the same place again.

"How odd that I still end up here, don't you think?"

_Hmm . . . _Fizz wondered thoughtfully. _Maybe it's just a coincidence. Let's try again. _

And again.

"This is getting a bit tiresome . . . just how big is this garden anyway?"

_Don't you think . . . _Spritz started, but left her sentence unfinished.

And again.

"This is **really **trying my patience . . ."

_Spritz, I think I know what you mean. _Serac suddenly spoke with a feeling in it that Mia could not comprehend.

And again.

"Ahh, I'm lost!" Mia cried out in exasperation.

"I do change my directions, but I keep seeing this" –she pointed to a unmistakably odd-shaped cherry blossoms tree—"this stupid tree! We seem to be walking in circles over and over again! You'd think that even going straight all the way would, at least, end us up **somewhere!**"

_How ironic. But I believe there's a deeper explanation for this . . . _said Serac in her mind.

Her eyebrow furrowed. _What do you mean, Serac? You three have been acting so mysterious and strange yourselves ever since we tried to leave this mini-forest. Are you hiding anything from me?_

_Mia, _Fizz's squeaky voice rang in her mind with such gravity that surprised the young woman, _I think we're quite justified by saying that we've been wandering about in an illusion. _

". . . What?" Mia could hardly believe her ears. What kind of rigmarole was that? An _illusion? _

_I know it sounds all rubbish and all, but ever since we started out, there was this vague . . . enchantment around us that we felt. _

_Of course, we couldn't say for sure, _Spritz chipped in, _but after wandering around for ages, this has got to be an illusion we're in now. Otherwise it's just absurd that we can get lost in a garden, right?_

_This has to be the work of an Adept, and quite a capable one, too, _Serac added gravely. _To have thrown us into an illusion without us Djinn noticing it . . . but then again, we weren't paying much attention, and we didn't expect something like this to happen. Major slip. I'm sorry, Mia._

Mia was having a hard time swallowing all the new information, especially the last bit. "An Adept . . ." she muttered. _Can it be . . . my stepfamily?_

_Who else can it be? _

But she hardly paid attention. She had clamped a hand to her mouth in horror as realisation hit her. Her mind swamped with the same image, refusing to disappear. Recollections of the prince going after her, looking for her . . .

It echoed in her mind like a thunderous roar over and over again:

_Alone and unknowing . . ._

----o----

He couldn't believe it. Absolutely disbelieved it.

He, Prince Isaac, royal prince of Vale and heir to the castle and kingdom, was _**lost** _in his own home.

It really was ridiculous. Absurdly ridiculous. He had probably walked for a good five minutes and possibly more, yet he kept seeing the stables in the distant east! How would Flint laugh once he got heard of it! If he were not the victim, Isaac would have had a good laugh himself.

He really was dreaming. There was no other possible solution! How many times had he explored the whole castle grounds on his own, to the point that he could draw the whole map on paper perfectly in an instant?

Indeed, Isaac was aggravated beyond words.

The world was probably turning upside down tonight. Otherwise it was his instinct mechanism malfunctioning. Or maybe this ball party got him a little messed up, he thought. Maybe he was too occupied thinking while walking that he made a wrong turn, again and again (though, of course, that _already _breached the feasible line).

If that was the answer, then he would have . . . who else? Sarah Lushielle (he thought unblushingly) to blame. There was something about her that just created this . . . feeling in him. It gnawed at him. As much as he was not a romancer, he was forced to admit that there was a concealed feeling not unlike romance in the air between the two of them. At first, he was not too certain about the whole thing. Perhaps even, he was unwilling to confess that fact.

But now, he _knew_. Maybe it was still an infatuation he had with this aqua-haired young woman, but at any rate, he knew that he liked her tremendously.

And he wanted to know her more.

He could not be positive whether she felt the same about him, but he would have liked to think so, based on the hints in her manner and speech. He had followed her out after her enigmatic act, but lost sight of her after fidgeting with the crowd and bypassing nondescript ladies. He wondered where she could have gone . . .

Memories of both of them together in the pavilion, not more than an hour ago, flashed in his mind.

He decided to try the garden. Venus willing, he would actually _reach _the gardens.

Goodness, he'd never thought he would ever say such a thing. The world _must _be turning topsy-turvy.

----o----

"Oh no . . ." Mia breathed, aghast. "The prince!"

_Yeah, we need to get out of here, fast, before this illusionist does something terrible to us. Once we're in his or her illusion, there's nothing they can't do to us, surreal as it is in reality. It's a wonder nothing has happened yet._

"How do I get out—"

A soft laughter, definitely female, suddenly broke the silence.

_That proves it. It really is your stepfamily! _Serac puffed indignantly.

Morbid thoughts of Prince Isaac filled her anxious, frantic mind. She was scared, worried and angry with herself, for both letting herself fall into the trap and being scared of trapped in an illusion. _Pull yourself together, Mia! _she commanded, inhaling deeply.

_It's okay, Mia, _Spritz comforted. _I'll bet my cookies that this illusionist has no idea you're Mia, and has three wonderful Djinn with you to back you up. Your stepfamily probably thinks you're still cooked up in that smelly, lousy room back in the inn. _

_I should say that she, whoever she is, isn't that spectacular in illusion casting herself. This level of illusion cast on us shouldn't be a tough nut to crack, _Serac reassured with in his confident, squeaky tones.

_So tell me what do I have to do. I need to hurry!_

_We'll go for the safest and most guaranteed choice. Close your eyes, _Fizz instructed.

_Try to concentrate inside your mind, Mia. Try to feel some sort of energy rising in you. _

Doing as she was told to do, Mia fervently tried to feel the energy, but she sensed nothing different. She despaired more than ever.

_Keep calm, Mia. Steady. Try to think of water. Water around you, curing you. Healing you, _Serac spoke softly, entrancingly

"Healing me . . ." she echoed softly.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to relax and did exactly what the little djinni said; imagined the sight of water. Until she was told of her ability as a Water Adept, she never understood why she always had this tranquil feeling inside her whenever she came into close contact with water. It always felt good letting water rushing through her palms . . .

She imagined smooth flowing water washing over her like a pleasant waterfall, pure and lovely, cleansing her.

Her tense body muscles relaxed as she delved into her spiritual body, letting her mind drift away slowly.

Cleansing her . . .

She felt a welcoming power surging in her, enveloping her mentally. Channelling deeper, she embraced the energy and let it overwhelm her. Her mouth opened intuitively as she murmured, "Restore."

Tiny blue sprinkles of water suddenly materialised, encircling her in a soft, pale glow. For a moment Mia felt her soul entirely at peace as she felt the comforting energy protecting her from any harm. Opening her eyes, she marvelled at the sight of the pretty sparkles surrounding her.

_You did it, Mia! What you're doing now is restoring yourself from any delusions and mental effects upon you. _

Her hope dashed up high. _Please, please, Mercury, let it work . . ._

She thought she heard a distant-sounding surprised cry.

All at once, the scenery around her seemed to move, twisting and warping in an alarming way. The trees were bending in odd dimensions as they churned, flowers and ground all behaving the same way. Feeling a trifle anxious, Mia involuntarily took a step back . . .

And collided her back against something solid.

Blinking her eyes, Mia wheeled around in surprise. A tree! She couldn't remember seeing a tree behind her last in the illusion. Which would mean that . . .

_We did it! _Fizz whooped with joy.

Looking around, she discovered that her surroundings were still and normal. No more twisting and churning crazily. A waft of wind blew gently, and everything seemed peaceful. She intuitively felt that the atmosphere was different than when she was trapped in the illusion.

Mia let a sigh of relief and happiness escape from her lips. "We did it!" she exclaimed triumphantly. It was the first time she had used her Adept powers, but she certainly could get used to the advantages it offered. For a moment, her success in breaking free from the despicable illusion took over her anxiety for the prince.

She suddenly heard a rustle a few metres away. As quick as a flash she trained her eyes to the source of the sound. As the moonlight shone down dimly, it illuminated a shadowy figure darting away back in the direction of the ballroom. It took all the will that she had not to pursue that person just to unearth his or her identity for sure.

Reasoning logically, she knew she had better and more important things to deal with for now. The first and foremost on her list was to find the prince, whose whereabouts she had yet to uncover. She feverishly prayed that he was still safe and sound, somewhere with someone trustable.

_Right. It shouldn't be a problem to get out of this mini-forest now, _said Serac, chuckling.

Mia had hardly moved three steps when a deep, male voice suddenly arrested her.

"We?"

That word alone almost gave her a heart attack. That deep, quiet voice registered somewhere vaguely in her occupied mind. She turned around again, only to face an expressionless but nevertheless slightly intrigued Felix.

"M—Mister Segrave!" she exclaimed, surprised. This man was just as silent in his speech as in his steps, she thought half-amusedly. She could have sworn she never heard him coming at all. "I didn't hear you coming . . ."

"I apologise," said he shortly, bowing slightly. "What did you mean by 'we did it', Lady Lushielle?"

Her cheeks grew red as she hesitated. His calm and composed countenance linked with his minimum choice of words always created uneasiness in _her _flow of words.

"I—uh . . ." How on Mercury was she to explain to him that she had three abnormal-looking alive creatures in her, and was trapped in an illusion just a minute ago by a power-hungry stepsister?

Impatience suddenly overtook any other feelings she felt at that moment. There was no time for her to stay and chat idly! But of course, Felix Segrave would know nothing of the danger that beheld Prince Isaac. Could she enlist his help, she wondered? That was certainly an idea.

"Do you know where is Prince Isaac?" she asked abruptly.

Felix quirked an eyebrow at the sudden change of topic. "I think I saw His Highness over there moments ago," he gestured to his left, "near the stables."

Mia flushed under his scrutiny. "Look," she suddenly said, "I—I can't tell you why, but I really must find His Highness as quickly as possible. It—it's really important. For him. In fact," she added with a second thought, "even as we talk now he might be in danger." Her voice shook slightly with emotion. Enlisting his help could prove to be a wise action, she thought. It was time someone else knew about the whole story other than Garet and Jenna. They were not here; she needed someone else's help. She couldn't do this alone.

His expression did not falter, but his pulse quickened inside. He would have concluded that she was merely another of those delusional ladies who wanted to impress herself so much on the prince, if not for the warning of danger over Isaac's head that Ivan spoke about with real life anxiety. Besides, he hardly categorised Sarah Lushielle in such low levels.

". . . And why is that?" he asked curiously, choosing his words carefully.

"We really don't have time to do this, you know," Mia rushed in her words, panicking again. "Let's just find the prince first, then we can have storytelling time. Please, believe me," she begged. "I—"

She was about to say more to convince Felix when she suddenly stopped short. Oh, what did it matter whether he believed her or not? At any rate, convincing him to believe such a fairytale would probably take twice the time she would take to find the prince in this giant castle.

"Oh, forget it," she exclaimed flustered, "I don't have time to convince you to believe an almost-fairytale!" She left off there as she hurried off in the direction he pointed earlier, half-wishing that she was not wearing clothes unfitting for running. Especially the shoes.

Mia had hardly ventured forth more than ten steps when his voice arrested her again.

"There's a shortcut to the stables."

Wheeling around in surprise, she looked at Felix questioningly.

"Follow me," was all he said as he took off in a brisk walk in the opposite direction.

She gratefully followed him as fast as her skirts would allow her.

----o----

"There, there. Good boy, Welmar. Can't wait to go for a gallop at the hills again, can you?"

A dark brown horse grunted, nuzzling against Alex's neck. Alex chuckled, stroking its mane gently.

"I'll be going off now. I promised Piers I wouldn't be long here. Got some things to do, old boy."

Welmar whinnied in protest as Alex stepped out of the horse stables and shut the door carefully.

The stables were some distant away from the ballroom. Humming a country tune while leisurely walking back, Alex let his thoughts wander. His mind ran over the recent new recruits applying for acceptance into the Valean army. Those eager, young, inexperienced faces—

His pleasant thoughts were cut short when his eyes suddenly sighted a very curious thing, metres where he stood to the west. He rubbed his eyes just to make sure that his eyes were not playing tricks on him.

"What is—"

Prince Isaac, a completely sane and intelligent person, was walking around _in circles_.

Time by time he stopped and looked around, but again and again he continued walking in circles. For the life of him, Alex could not fathom his reasoning.

Suddenly, Prince Isaac stopped in his movement. He seemed to look around in a dazed-like condition, bewildered and confused. He even stepped back as if there was something dangerous in front of him, then turned around and moved back again. But Alex saw nothing spectacular in the least. Everything was perfectly normal by all standards. Trees and shrubs around him were not suddenly becoming alive, he thought sarcastically.

What on Angara was His Highness _doing? _His personality and current actions certainly did **not **mix. At all.

_If things just can't get any weirder now_, Alex mused._ Now he's coughing and agonisingly holding his throat as if he's suddenly dehydrated!_

"Your Highness!" Alex hollered loudly.

He was pleased to see that the golden-haired prince in question turned his head in his direction, but Alex was immediately alarmed when his presence was not acknowledged. There was no response. It was as if his call was heard, but Isaac could not see him even though his gaze was focused accurately on Alex's figure.

He called out again. This time, it totally fell on deaf ears.

_Something fishy is going on,_ he decided. With due respect, the prince of Vale would never act and look like that. Even though he wasn't near enough to exactly tell Isaac's facial expression, that bewildered air of his explained a good deal. That dazed, blur look plastered on his face was more than what Alex could accept as part and parcel of Isaac's characteristics. He was going to get to the bottom of this, now.

Alex was walking forward in quick strides when he heard a low whistle ahead of him. He abruptly halted, seeing yet another extraordinary and unexplainable scene.

From the bushes nearby Isaac emerged a young woman with flaming red hair, as she calmly pressed an object into Isaac's left hand.

Wanting to satisfy his curiosity as to what exactly was that object, Alex hurried over as quickly and quiet as possible. His instincts nagged at him, conveying to him that something bad was up, and that the prince was a victim of the whole plot, whatever it was.

He was but a few metres away from the prince when Isaac lifted his hand that held the object to his mouth. Alex realised that the object in question was a glass, and (he reasoned) probably filled with some liquid.

Something yelled in him to stop Isaac from downing the unknown liquid. He called out in a stentorian voice.

After all, given such a suspicious setting and scene, who wouldn't be sceptical?

----o----

Isaac took a step back suddenly. To his astonishment, everything around him seemed to slowly shrivel up and wither away. Leaves fell and crumpled up, becoming a dull brown colour, dry and crispy. Trees were mercilessly stripped until only branches were left, even worst than autumn, and flowers wilted. He watched in amazement.

Hearing a sound behind him, Isaac spun around, only to find that the ground was slowly but surely cracking. Looking at the ground, he was even more so astounded and baffled when he realised that he was standing on barren, desert-like ground. It was as if everything was sucked dry of water.

Everything . . . _including him._

He suddenly felt his throat very dry. Touching his throat gingerly, he wondered how on Angara how it ever happened. He had never felt so dehydrated in his entire life before. His voice was becoming hoarse. Was he 'drying up' too? But nonsense!

"Your Highness!"

A male voice lifted him out of his reverie. It sounded vaguely familiar, but immediately the voice faded away like dust. Turning his head to look in the direction where the voice came, Prince Isaac was just as stupefied when he saw no one. Did he dream that voice?

His attention was focused back on his parched throat. He found it extremely difficult to even swallow. It grew increasingly painful as he tried. Running a dry tongue over his lips, he found that his lips were also dry and cracked.

Venus, the torture. This had to be some kind of nightmare, he thought. First he couldn't find his way around his home, and now here he was, dehydrated in a matter of mere seconds as if he had never drank in his entire life! The whole thing was starting to frighten him. He longed for companionship.

Nevertheless, his need for water overrode his question as to how and why all this was happening to him. Oh, how he longed for water at that moment! Any water—even ordinary water would more than suffice! If only he had just a cup of water . . .

And he did.

Prince Isaac was stunned with disbelief and shock when he found his left hand grasping a glass of water. Or so he thought.

At that very moment, his natural living instincts blinded all other questions that rose at the back of his mind. His hand automatically reached up to his mouth.

He thought he heard a voice again, clearer this time, but dismissed it.

He gratefully downed the transparent liquid without much thought.

It registered faintly in his mind that it tasted bitter . . .

* * *

Author's Note: All right, Chapter 15's done and completed! I apologise if there is not much storyline progress in this chapter as it mainly focuses on one or two events only, but I saw that there were a lot of things to write about from several characters' point of view. I really do hope that it was interesting at least, and yes, I'm trying to limit the amount I write per chapter so that it mightn't appear too long, and subsequently, too tedious. 

I'm not too sure myself as to how the story will turn out, so I hope readers will still stay tuned to the future chapters to come! Updates will be less frequent, and I'm sorry for that again. Any updates can be found in my profile. As usual, comments, suggestions, corrections and advice are greatly appreciated!


	16. Tension

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality **

* * *

Chapter 16: Tension

* * *

_  
Prince Isaac was stunned with disbelief and shock when he found his left hand grasping a glass of water. Or so he thought._

_At that very moment, his natural living instincts blinded all other questions that rose at the back of his mind. His hand automatically reached up to his mouth._

_He thought he heard a voice again, clearer this time, but dismissed it._

_He gratefully downed the transparent liquid without much thought. _

_It registered faintly in his mind that it tasted bitter . . . _

The glass slipped from Prince Isaac's hand.

It fell to the ground, shattered and empty of its contents . . .

----o----

"Oh! My goodness!" Merlina exclaimed. "Please excuse my deplorable clumsiness, King Hydros."

King Hydros immediately restrained her as she started to bend down. "Please, allow me to retrieve your glass."

"Oh, thank you so much," she replied in return, accepting his offer graciously.

Picking up an empty glass which Merlina had dropped earlier, the blue-haired King handed it back to a nearby waiter with a tray of drinks.

"It was lucky of you to down the champagne before dropping it, if I may say so," said he, his eyes twinkling.

Merlina grew pink. "I can't imagine what made me drop my glass like that," she murmured. "I can assure you that I do not apply that as a daily habit," she continued with a shy smile.

"I'm sure that is the case," he agreed pleasantly.

----o----

_What . . . bitter . . . why so . . . dizzy . . ._

Isaac stumbled and fell forward. Karst immediately rushed to his aid and tried to support him. He looked vaguely at her. Behind her, Saturos emerged.

"Hurry," he sharply told Karst.

Karst did not need any coaxing. Holding his shoulders tightly and firmly looking into his dazed eyes, she whispered quickly and enchantingly, "You're in my control now. Do you hear me? You will remember nothing other than what I will tell you. You will do all that I say and accept all that I tell you. All that goes against my words are lies. Do you hear?"

His eyes went a deeper shade of grey as though a fog clouded them. He numbly nodded semi-consciously. He felt like sinking into a disturbed sleep . . .

Karst then continued convincingly, "Now Prince Isaac, you're going to be all right. You're just feeling mildly dizzy because you're not feeling very well today. The drink I gave you will make you feel better. I saved you. Understand?"

The fog was slowly dissipating, only to leave behind a growing headache. Prince Isaac shook his head in efforts to rid that heavy feeling in his head, but proved to be futile.

"Y—yes, I—do," he murmured slowly, wincing as he did so. He looked at her and frowned with effort, not recognising this woman. "Who—who are you?"

Just then, Alex rushed over, suspicious and wary.

"What's going on?" he demanded. His sharp eyes noted that both man and woman that stood before him were Proxians, and immediately he felt dislike towards them. He was not prejudiced against Proxians, but he trusted few of them. "Your Highness, are you all right?"

"He's fine," Karst intercepted sharply. "His Highness just felt a little dizzy, that's all. Isn't that right, Your Highness?" she asked him sweetly.

Rising with Karst's help, Prince Isaac tried to focus his gaze on Alex. "Y—yes, I am all right, thank you—er—"

"General Alex," Saturos said helpfully.

"Yes, General Alex. Thank you." Isaac could hardly get that drowsy feeling out from his mind. Who was he? Oh yes, he was Isaac. Prince Isaac of Vale. And that blue-haired man was General Alex, joint head of Vale's army. Now where was he?

_Where . . ._ He tried to remember anything that had happened prior to that very moment, and felt a jolt of pain the second after. He grimaced.

"If I may be enlightened as to what has happened, prince—?" Alex inquired, politely but firmly.

"Nothing happened," Saturos intervened again, smiling in a way Alex couldn't help but dislike.

He glanced coolly at the pale-skinned man. "I hope I am not being rude, but I'm afraid I was directing my question to the prince," he replied smoothly. "Prince Isaac?"

Tension was in the air. Alex could feel it. He did not know precisely why, but he knew it was there. The three of them looked at the golden-haired prince in concealed expectation.

"I—no, nothing happened," Isaac answered, a bit hesitant but nevertheless, sounding quite sure. After all, what else could he say? Had something happened to him, he had no idea what it was—now would that not make him absolutely silly and absurd?

His answer did not suit Alex's books at all. Walking around in circles was definitely not an example of a normal situation. That woman's sudden entry and action of pressing a glass onto Prince Isaac's hand was still very suspicious. For all he knew, that drink could have contained doping substances. That would explain his dazed air.

But he could not very well argue and demand an explanation from a woman right in front of the prince himself, he reasoned. Besides, he did not have sufficient evidence to prove his accusations. He would just have to keep it to himself and of course, keep a stern eye on both Proxians. He didn't trust either an inch.

"Very well. I trust that Your Highness is well," he accepted grudgingly.

"Then, if you'll excuse us, we'd like to return to the ballroom," said Karst, smiling attentively at the prince. "I believe His Highness has enough of fresh air."

The word 'ballroom' clicked in Isaac's mind. Of course, he was in the castle! His home! And he was having a ball, and he—oh no, he remembered nothing further than that. He knew that if he probed further, that jolt of pain would strike again. He faced difficulty even trying to remember where the ballroom was exactly. Millions of questions raced through his mind. Was he out here for fresh air? If not, then why? And who were these people? And why did Alex look so concerned for him?

Perhaps this red-haired woman would help him to remember. She had seemed so assured, self-poised. She would certainly help him, he was sure. She had to. At least, until this momentary (he fervently hoped) crisis was over.

"Y-es. Shall we?" At least he had not forgotten his manners, he thought gratefully. If he thought hard, maybe he would remember his parents. And with a little more effort, his friends.

Venus, what _was _**wrong **with him?! Did he just knock—no, rephrase that—bash his head against some rock tree or such until he was out of his mind? How could he **not **remember his parents?!

"Delighted, my prince."

Pushing very disturbing thoughts away, Prince Isaac nodded at both Saturos and Alex as he led Karst away. He would ask this young woman questions.

"I will also take my leave, if you don't mind," Saturos excused himself politely with a sneering smile. "We shall meet again, perhaps, _General _Alex."

Alex was left at the spot, mystified and troubled.

----o----

"Our little observatory tower is so useful, isn't it?"

Sheba nodded as she accepted the glass of champagne that Ivan offered to her. "Indeed, this balcony is a very strategic spot for observation."

"Seen anything of Prince Isaac or this Lady Lushielle since the last time we saw him rushing after her?" Ivan inquired.

The blonde threw a look at him. "No—" She suddenly stopped as she saw something out of the corner of her eyes. "Yes. His Highness is right there."

"Where?"

She pointed to one of the side doors leading out into the castle grounds. "There. He isn't with Lady Lushielle though. Some red-haired woman."

Ivan raised an inquiring eye, focusing his attention to a spiky-haired golden person from afar. "Now isn't that odd. Shouldn't he be with Lady Lushielle, after all that action of chasing after her?"

"Perhaps, but not necessarily. Maybe he couldn't find her in the end, came back and met this woman on the way. Or otherwise he already met up with her and sorted things out, and came back comforted or something," Sheba suggested, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. "No big deal, I should think."

"You may be right, and I hope the latter is the case," he replied. "I think I quite like her, actually. Lady Lushielle, I mean."

"Hmm . . . I think she is an interesting character. Where did she say she was from?"

"Imil, apparently. It must be very cold now there at this time of the year."

She nodded thoughtfully. "I see." She paused for a while before saying her next words. "I also think that she is hiding something."

Ivan cocked an eyebrow. "What makes you say that, Sheba?"

"Just from a short conversation we had earlier. But I'm probably just probing in the air."

"May not be a bad secret, right?"

"I didn't say it is."

----o----

"Isn't it a wonder that I actually find dancing with you a pleasant thing?"

Garet Jerra pretended to look offended. "I'm hurt."

Jenna laughed as they both walked towards the main table of the royal family. "You're not good at pretending, Garet. It sticks out like a mile. Just like Prince Isaac."

"At least we're both honest, then," he shot back with a grin. "Something to be proud of, I say."

"Come to think of it, we haven't seen much of both His Highness and Tia since we last traded partners," Jenna brooded thoughtfully. "I hope they're getting along well."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Garet replied with yet another grin. "They're really good together, don't you think?"

The crimson-haired young woman was about to reply when she suddenly stopped abruptly in her speech. "Hey, there he is! And—"

"Isaac?" Garet looked over at the direction Jenna's eyes were focused to. A certain golden-haired prince was entering the ballroom through one of its side doors arm in arm with a young woman with flaming red hair. "Yeah, you're right!" His voice then dropped. "But he isn't with M—Tia, though . . ."

Jenna frowned. "You know, I can't say for sure, but that girl looks rather familiar . . ."

"Really?" Garet puzzled over it for a second before it all clicked in his mind. "Mars, she looks really alike Tia's stepmother! Maybe she's some daughter or relation or something!"

Mia's godmother cursed silently. "Where on Angara _is _Tia?"

"Maybe they got her out of the way," Garet suggested concernedly, thinking of the charming aqua-haired young woman. "Whatever it is, we better get over to Isaac and make sure we stick close to him—"

"Even if that girl's a relation or just no one in particular," she finished. "And I'm finding out where Mia vanished off to."

Making their way towards Prince Isaac, Jenna was relieved that Isaac, at least, looked alive and well. "But we can't say for sure, though," Garet objected seriously, "we've just got to hope that he hasn't been doped or anything like that yet. Better still, if that girl is just a Somebody."

"But I'm worried about Tia, too . . ."

----o----

Isaac was feeling much, much better. Memories were coming back, and easier to recall at that.

All thanks to Lady Sierra Hynas, that beautiful, sweet young woman who had helped him so much.

All that he was so regretful and guilty about was that he could not recollect even a single piece of memory of how he first met her tonight. She, with some embarrassment, had to fill him in with all the details. Their first meeting at the dance floor after dinner had commenced did not seem familiar at all. He could not remember a single topic of their conversations throughout the time they spent together chatting.

Without her, he wouldn't have known that she, Sierra Hynas, had found him walking in delirious circles in the palace grounds. (That would explain that fuzzy feeling, he guessed). She had left him to go to the washroom for a while, and had come back to find him missing. She had then went outside and finally found him in the confused state he was in. Thank Venus the drink that she administered to him would make him feel better soon enough.

But not even she could justify his odd actions. She was very shocked herself; but after all, who would not be? He had to be insane. No one, at least not of this world, would walk in circles over and over again like a madman when there were just trees and shrubs around him. Either he went purely idiotic and as mad as a hatter, or something extraordinary had happened during that short time which no one had an answer to. That remained a huge question mark, and deep-felt embarrassment for his side.

And the rest, he knew.

It hit him then. Now he knew of the story _after _dinner commenced, but what happened _before _dinner? When he questioned her, she could not provide any useful information. Unfortunately, she was held back due to certain reasons, therefore arriving extremely late for the party ball. She had immediately met him then. He could see that she was crestfallen for not being of any help there. He quickly dropped the subject.

The next question that egged on him was whom on earth did he invite over to the royal family's table for dinner.

If it was not Lady Hynas, then who was it? Who was that someone? Goodness, everyone would think him senile if he could not even remember the potential princess-to-be that he himself chose! A princess whom he could not remember!

Terrible, absolutely terrible! Perhaps she was looking for him now, and he did not even know her name to start looking! How ironic. She would be so disappointed and embarrassed beyond reason!

And it would be his entire fault. All right; perhaps _not _altogether his fault if something bizarre had happened that caused his temporary loss of memory, but still . . .

_But after all, if I can't remember her . . . whoever she is, if she didn't leave an impact on me, then . . . _his inner mind argued. _If she were to be someone like Lady Hynas, I'm sure I would remember her, _he thought with a smile.

She was so nice and kind to him, filling any gaps that his memories had. The fog was starting to clear already considerably. He owed her much gratitude.

In the meantime, he had to find out discreetly who was the young woman that he had invited over. The obvious method would be to open his mouth, and ask . . . of course, not just some random person. He had to be careful. He had no intentions of worrying his dear parents by letting them know of his troubles.

_Now who should I ask—_

"Look, Your Highness! Your friends are coming," told Lady Hynas, smiling at Isaac.

True enough, Garet and—who? Oh yes, Jenna, he remembered—were hurrying over. Oddly enough, he thought he spotted a worried look in Garet's eyes past his eye mask.

"Your Highness," Jenna bowed politely. She looked over to his companion. "And you are—?"

Lady Hynas smiled. "Sierra Hynas. Lady Segrave, I presume?"

Jenna was mildly gratified, though remained suspicious. "Yes, that's right. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"As well mine."

"So how are you holding up, Isaac?" Garet asked genially, butting in their conversation.

He smiled. "Good enough, thank you. It's been wonderful to have Lady Hynas by my side all this while," said he, throwing a look of gratitude at his companion.

Unbeknownst of Jenna, Karst caught her frowning ever so slightly at spiky-haired Garet. "Oh, the pleasure is all mine, Your Highness," she replied, laughing embarrassedly. She smirked inwardly. So far, the whole plan was working like magic! Of course, he had taken her unawares with a few detailed questions, but she was quite sure that she had covered up her backgrounds well.

"So, um . . . where did Tia go anyway?" Garet inquired. He had never seen this Lady Hynas before, and most definitely he had never heard of such a name. Jenna was right, he decided; she did resemble Mia's stepmother in some ways. _Especially with that Proxian touch. _

Prince Isaac cocked an eyebrow. "Tia?" He could not seem to recall such a name, oddly familiar as it was.

Jenna's heart leapt. Concern was building up. _What in Mars . . . _"Perhaps you remember her better as Lady Lushielle, Your Highness," she explained, forcing a laugh. "Wasn't she with Your Highness last we parted?"

If she could, Lady Hynas would have most certainly scowled at Jenna. She threw a quick look at the golden-haired prince. If the potion was concocted perfectly in the right proportions, he would not be able to remember such a name.

_Lady . . . Lushielle? . . . I—no, there isn't anyone I know of that name, I think . . . But then if I've never heard of her, then Garet would not have asked me. Perhaps it's one of the bits of memory that I still can't recall. Lady Lushielle . . ._

Both Garet and Jenna were panic-stricken inside when Isaac frowned in effort to recall such a name. _Something is terribly wrong_, their minds echoed.

"Don't you remember?" Garet asked quickly.

Isaac knew then that there was something wrong. This Lady Lushielle must have been someone important to both Garet and Jenna. He could see uneasiness and apprehension in them. Oddly enough, that name was rather familiar . . .

_Oh no, _he suddenly thought. _Don't tell me this lady is the one I . . . _

He winced as a sharp pain suddenly jolted through his head. He realised that if he probed further he would only meet with pain. Perhaps it was some side effects of his bizarre actions earlier on.

"Are you all right, Your Highness?" Lady Hynas inquired worriedly.

"Are you okay, Isaac?" Garet echoed.

Putting on a reassuring smile, he nodded. "Yes, I'm all right, thank you. Just a little headache, I fear," said he, laughing it off. He then struggled with his words.

"I—I cannot seem to recall this—Lady Lushielle—of whom you speak of, Garet. Uh . . . my apologies." It was really odd how many things seemed to be familiar though, he thought. It was evident that many memories were gone.

Immediately, he noticed the colour drained from both Garet and Jenna's faces, especially Jenna's. They did not seem to know how to react. It struck a panic note in him. Who on Venus was this unknown lady, and why did she seem so important? Why did it bring forth such a drastic reaction?

Worse still, was she the one that he invited over to the royal family's table?

"A—are you—sure, Your Highness?" Jenna asked fearfully, trying to keep her cool.

"There, there," Lady Hynas cut in smoothly, "His Highness has had a headache previously, thus not feeling too well. Perhaps it is better if we ask less of His Highness for now."

"I apologise deeply," Prince Isaac rushed in, eager to explain, "but Lady Hynas is right. I cannot seem to remember some things, but I am sure I know this Lady Lushielle of whom you speak of. I . . . "

He was about to say more when he stopped hesitantly. He wanted to ask Garet about this Lady Lushielle so much; Lady Hynas could not help him in this. He knew that if he could confide in someone, it was his godfather. There was no one that he placed greater trust in. But he would have to wait until he could tackle Garet alone.

"Isaac, are you sure you are okay? You don't sound or look like it," Garet asked concernedly. If there was something wrong with Isaac, Garet was always the first to know about it, aside from his parents.

And he knew, just from his distraught face, that something _was _terribly wrong. What on Mars had this suspicious woman done to him? She seemed so evasive when it came to Mia . . .

The prince looked gratefully at his young godfather. "Thank you for your concern, Garet. I am sure I will be all right soon. I . . . I'm very sorry."

"No, it's all right, Your Highness. Perhaps Garet and I should take our leave. We have some business to attend to," Jenna assured with a smile, ignoring her partner's surprised look at her.

"Very well, I shall see both of you soon," said the prince, smiling apologetically. "Take care."

"Enjoy your night!" Lady Hynas bade genially, before she and Prince Isaac walked away together.

Jenna threw a sharp look at her. All the more she was confirmed of her suspicion that this woman was somehow connected to Mia's stepfamily, and that Mia herself was in probable danger.

She would remember that face, she was certain, if she saw it ever again.

"A headache that results in loss of memory? Fiddlesticks!" she exclaimed with a scowl.

Garet nodded vigorously. "Jenna, was that the best action to take? Leaving Isaac with her like that?"

"I know, but . . . we've still got Mia to think of. We can get Felix or someone to keep an eye on His Highness. I'm very worried about Mia. She was with His Highness and now he's with this woman whom I'm quite sure now is one of the stepsisters. Something must have happened to her."

"You're right, but Isaac . . ." he began, but broke off. "You look out for Mia, okay? I'll keep an eye on Isaac and make sure that girl doesn't pull off any funny-looking stunts. I've a feeling I should speak to him alone."

Jenna smiled understandingly. She knew that Isaac meant a lot to Garet. Despite Isaac being the 'godchild', they both had strong bonds since childhood days. "You do just that. Mia can't be far off."

----o----

"There you are, Mother!"

Whipping around, Merlina's smile vanished when she saw a panting Menardi.

"Menardi! What have you been doing, looking so red like you just participated in a race?" she asked disapprovingly. Dropping her voice then, she continued, "How did _it _go?"

Her daughter had a sour and dismayed look plastered on her face. "She dispelled my illusion! She must be an Adept, probably a Water Adept if I'm not mistaken. I had to escape before she saw me," she muttered darkly. "How can it be? Adepts aren't everywhere! What are the odds, Mother?"

"Oh dear . . . that is quite an unexpected development," said Merlina, raising an eyebrow. "We did not see _that _case coming." Menardi had never seen her mother turn a hair before; she was always so calm and steady.

Merlina thought for a moment, before sharply adding, "Are you thinking what I am thinking, Menardi?"

It all clicked at that moment. ". . . You mean, it was _her_? That whelp?" Menardi uttered disbelievingly. "But we left her in the inn, with no way of transportation here!"

Merlina shrugged her shoulders. "I think that is the most probable case. Like you just said, there are not many Water Adepts around in this world. We _know _that she is one. Looking from this point of view, I'm surprised now that we did not realise it sooner than we should have. No wonder she looked somewhat familiar when she bumped into the prince," she muttered.

Her daughter's mind was in a whirl, thoughts processing quickly. "The long blue hair . . . I think you're right, Mother." Her face darkened. "How dare she try to masquerade in here and deceive us! The nerve of her to do that! For all we know, she might have purposely bumped into the prince to stop him from drinking the poison!"

"Perhaps you are right, Menardi," her mother replied gravely. "I think that is what that happened. Doubtless she didn't know that the drink contained poison, but maybe did it as a safety precaution. Who knows? After all, she probably has no problems in recognising us. She must have somehow found a way to get here, and set herself to spy on us the whole time, while worming her way into the prince's family at the same time."

"Her determination never fails to amaze me sometimes," Menardi muttered. "Do you think she knows that we recognise her?"

"That I cannot say, but it would be best for us to pretend that we have no idea, I think," she replied with a grim smile. "So she dispelled your illusion. She has some control over her Psynergy. But it does not matter, as long as Saturos' side worked. Did it?"

Menardi shook her head. "I don't know yet. We split paths as they were in different places. I think it should be a success, though. Karst was with him to assist if necessary."

Gazing far off, Merlina suddenly checked her words and smiled broadly. "Assure yourself of any fears that you have, my dear. Our Karst is currently walking side-by-side with our dear prince. Just look and see."

"What?" Turning around, she saw what her mother saw. She smirked.

"The odds are still with us. We did it."

----o----

It was minutes later after Prince Isaac had made his exit with Karst Larfax that Mia and Felix reached the very spot where he had left.

"He isn't here . . ." Mia observed, dismayed.

"I'm sure I saw His Highness around here previously, though . . ." Felix's keen eyes scanned the surrounding area before they spotted something familiar.

"Ah! Alex!"

Mia's heart missed a beat. It happened every time she heard any familiar loved name uttered out. It usually ended up with her ray of hope dashed to pieces like fallen glass. Looking in the same direction as Felix, she drew in her breath sharply as she saw a manly figure far off the distance . . .

With aqua hair. Just like how she remembered it. Her mind was in a whirl. Was her mind playing tricks on her when she was on other urgent matters? Could it really be—?

The figure turned around, and seemed to wave at Felix before halting midway suddenly.

Mia nearly forgot to breathe then. Her eyes widened like saucers as she recognised the figure. Of course she would recognise it! She would know that face anywhere! The image had never been so real compared to any of her past illusions. She knew that her eyes were not deceiving her this time. And she _knew _that he saw her too.

_Alex _recognised her.

"Alex . . ." she whispered, happy beyond description yet with a tinge of disbelief. She could not believe it; that she had finally met her cousin again in her wildest place of all, in such odd circumstances.

The next thing Felix knew was that both Alex and Mia had run up to each other and hugged like there was no tomorrow. He was startled.

"Mia!"

"Alex!"

There was no doubt about it; this was no illusion. Mia's heart leapt with joy.

Pulling away from their embrace, Alex looked at his cousin happily. She knew that he felt exactly the same way she felt. "Is it really you, Mia? Tell me it's really you! Mercury, after all these years, I've finally found you again!"

Tears were glistening in Mia's eyes. His voice was deeper, his features sharper with maturity, but he was the same Alex she had departed from years ago in Imil. "Oh Alex . . . I can't believe myself too! I've missed you and Picard so, so, so much!"

"You look even more beautiful then ever since the last time we saw you," Alex declared proudly. "You've absolutely no idea how we all at home were so worried about you and Uncle! Picard will be overjoyed! What have you been up to all this time?"

A cough from Felix startled both of them.

Recovering himself, Alex laughed gaily with a tinge of embarrassment. "I do apologise, Felix. I was so caught up in our long-lost meeting that I forgot about my manners. Very remiss of me. Allow me to introduce my very dear cousin, Mia Lushiris," said he, flourishing a hand at the happy girl.

Felix only quirked an eyebrow. "Oh?" was all he said with a hint of question to a beaming Mia.

Realisation dawned upon Mia like no other then. It came crashing down on her. She realised that Felix Segrave only knew her as 'Sarah Lushielle', and that Alex had inadvertently blown her cover, so to speak.

Her happiness was not long-lived.

Worse, her disguise instantly reminded her that she still had a missing prince to recover. She realised that meeting Alex once more had shifted all her attention and focus from Prince Isaac away. Oh, how could she forget all about him! One minute she was all so het up about finding him; the next minute she was the happiest person in the world!

"Uh . . . I . . ." she stuttered, at a loss for words. It was always time, time, and time. How was she going to explain the whole thing when she had no time?

"Is there something wrong?" Alex inquired, realising that there was certain tension between the Felix and Mia.

Mia looked resolute. Explanations had to come later. "I'll explain later, please. This isn't the time! Alex, did you see Isa—I mean His Highness just now?"

"His Highness?" the aqua-haired young man echoed, his eyes narrowing instantly. The previous episode concerning the distraught prince and the suspicious Proxians was still on his mind, unsolved. Come to think of it, he guessed Mia was one of the invited ladies to attend the party ball. That would explain her presence here after all this time, he thought. "Yes, His Highness was here minutes ago," he answered readily. "Are you looking for him?"

"Yes, it's very important," Mia rushed worriedly. "Where did he go? Was there anyone with him?"

Alex's face hardened. "Yes, he was with a young lady and a man. I believe they went back to the ballroom."

"Something wrong, General?" Felix interposed, observing the other man's grim expression.

He hesitated a moment. Should he tell them of the prince's strange behaviour? "Well . . . His Highness was acting a bit oddly, in my opinion. He seemed rather troubled, though the Proxians said that His Highness was not feeling well—"

"Proxians?" Mia interrupted, aghast. Her deepest fears were multiplying by the second. _Please, Mercury, let him still be all right . . ._ "How did she look like? The young woman, I mean?" she asked quickly.

"Uh, medium height, if I remember correctly," said Alex as he struggled to remember any striking features of the woman in question. Little did he know that with every characteristic he listed Mia's heart sank deeper and deeper!

"Long dark red hair, red eyes, wearing a dark red dress—" he stopped as Mia uttered a soft cry of anguish. "What's wrong, Mia?" he asked concernedly.

"I've got to go," said she, her face pale. "I'm so sorry I can't explain things right now, Alex; I'd love to catch up on the old times, but there's something terribly important going on, and I'm responsible for it."

Felix watched her closely. He was totally in the dark just as Alex was. First came this young woman who declared herself as Sarah Lushielle but apparently kept her real name, Mia-something, a secret from him and everyone else, including the prince himself. Then she seemed to know something about the danger on the prince. And as if her actions and behaviour were not odd enough, she was actually Alex Lucerne's (and as well as Picard Lucerne, he guessed) cousin, whom apparently had not seen her for many years. Yet they seemed so close.

Now, all he knew that the prince was still in danger. In fact, in greater danger than ever before.

Without another word, he started off towards the castle building in a fast pace.

"Felix—" Alex started to holler.

"Will you follow me back to the ballroom and identify that young woman, Alex?" Mia pleaded. That description fitted Karst to no end. She loved the colour of dark red above any other, she remembered. "It's for the prince's sake. We really need to find him now, and fast. That young woman may be a bad person."

Alex shook his head, baffled. All this was way beyond his knowledge. "All right. I wouldn't have believed you if not for the fact that I witnessed something most peculiar with the prince myself just now, and those two Proxians."

Bad news was too much an understatement. Oh, how she wished she had not been so careless as to let the prince out of her sight! It would be all her fault if her stepfamily had finally got him under their thumbs!

"Tell me as we go," Mia breathed, eager to know yet dreading so much.

_Please, let him be all right . . . _

----o----

King Kyle and Queen Dora, host and hostess of that night's party ball, were feeling most delighted. Indeed, proceedings were going so smoothly, the food was perfect, even the orchestra was flawless! All their guests were happy and entertained, and had no hesitations of proclaiming so.

And of course, not to mention that their one and only son had chosen a most charming _and _beautiful young lady. Of course, it was not confirmed yet, but inviting her over for dinner was a huge sign. Her antecedents were yet to be cleared up, but social status did not matter anyway. As long as she made their son happy, loved and took care of him, that was good enough.

"So what do you think of our Lady Lushielle, Master Hama?" Queen Dora asked confidentially.

"Yes, do tell us," King Kyle encouraged with a smile. "Your impressions are always most valuable to us."

Dressed in her best gown, Master Hama thought for a brief second before replying, "I cannot really say as I did not meet her in person, but based on my first impression, I think she is quite a good match for His Highness, Your Majesty. Possibly charming," she added nonchalantly.

Queen Dora beamed. "I'm glad you think so, Master Hama. Personally, I'm quite delighted with her. She appears to be very friendly and gracious. I think Isaac chose . . . er, rather well."

"Speak of the devil himself, here he comes!" King Kyle exclaimed. Then his face dropped. "But he isn't with Lady Lushielle, though."

His wife was about to reply when Prince Isaac came up and bowed to them. His companion, a red-haired Proxian lady, also curtsied politely before royalty.

"Father, Mother, Master Hama," said Prince Isaac. "Allow me to introduce Lady Sierra Hynas, a most charming lady. Lady Hynas, this is my parents, and one of our best advisors, Master Hama."

Karst smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet Your Majesties, and Master Hama."

"As it is mine as well," Master Hama replied politely, throwing an observant glance at her. That glance seemed much more than just a fleeting look. Karst somewhat felt a sense of calmness and vigilance surrounding the older woman. It made Karst rather uncomfortable somehow.

"Oh no, it is all ours, Lady Hynas," said King Kyle politely. (He had forgotten what ten thousand-time was that.)

"So, how are you finding the night, Lady Hynas?" Queen Dora inquired.

"Oh, it's absolutely wonderful! I'm sure everyone here couldn't agree more," Karst replied gushingly. "I'm letting myself go too much, I'm afraid. Such lovely hospitality!"

Queen Dora smiled. "We are most delighted to hear that. I hope you have been treating our guest well, Isaac?" she teased.

"Actually, Mother," handsome Prince Isaac replied, "Lady Hynas has been most obliging and caring. I should be thanking her for making this night so pleasing, indeed."

That sentence struck a strange note in both his parents. An unknown lady, suddenly seemingly so close to their son when he had a Lady Lushielle to think of and entertain? Where was she anyway?

"Your Highness, may I have a private moment with you?" Master Hama suddenly inquired politely.

Prince Isaac looked a trifle surprised, but nevertheless acquiesced. "Of course, Master Hama. Excuse us, Father, Mother, Lady Hynas."

They walked idly away, Master Hama leading the way. She made sure that they were of some distance away from the other three before she finally spoke. "Ahem . . . if it may not be too much of me to ask, Your Highness, but when did you meet this lady?"

"Lady Hynas?" said he, surprised by her question. He realised that his practical answer would be "in the castle grounds not more than half an hour ago", but that would perhaps not be the correct answer. After all, she herself told him that they met at the dance floor, though she did not exactly specify the time.

"Uh—some time after dinner started," he answered vaguely. "I did not exactly take note of the time," he added sheepishly.

The short lavender-haired woman cocked an eyebrow. His answer seemed a little odd, she thought. "Also, may I know where Lady Lushielle is? I would like to meet her personally, if Your Highness does not mind," said she, smiling faintly.

Isaac got another shock then. Lady Lushielle again!

Master Hama knew her, and she evidently expected him to know even more so than her! Venus forbid, she _must _have been the one he had invited to join him for dinner then! Perhaps that was why her name was slightly familiar, he contemplated.

He was grasping at straws now. He could not remember a single thing about this lady; how she looked like, how was her character. But if only he could find her, perhaps she could help him to recover part of his memories of before dinner commenced. Yes, he would ask Garet who exactly was this lady, and somehow remember what happened from A to Z.

But for now, he had to give an excuse. He debated on what he should tell Master Hama. He did not think it was best for her to know that he was suffering from temporary (or so he fervently hoped) memory loss; that would certainly alarm her, _and_ his parents.

"I . . . uh, I'm afraid I am not too sure . . ." he answered hesitantly. A questioning look from the older lady made him even more nervous. "She—excused herself some time ago as she said she had some business to tend to."

_Lame, lame, lame,_ his mind screamed at him.

There was something amiss with the prince, Master Hama thought. He seemed somewhat distraught. Did it have to do with . . .?

"I see," she said coolly, accepting that explanation for the moment. "Thank you, Your Highness. I must take my leave now, if Your Highness will excuse me."

"Very well. Enjoy yourself, Master Hama," he bid, smiling respectfully. He wondered what inspired all her sudden questions.

"Be careful, Your Highness," was all she replied, leaving him most surprised and bewildered.

_Be careful? What does she mean?_

_Be careful Of what?_

----o----

_I must find Ivan,_ Master Hama thought. _Perhaps he may know whatever it is that troubles the prince so. There is definitely something wrong with him. _

_And that girl . . . something about her bothers me._

Master Hama had not forgotten about the impending danger that loomed above Prince Isaac's head. She had been alert the whole time, and everything seemed well above normal.

Until now.

She had her suspicions on this Lady Sierra Hynas. Something was not quite right about her. She was a stranger, yet seemed rather intimate with the prince, to the extent that the prince himself introduced her to his parents. To top it off, he was primarily at a loss for words when it came to the subject of Lady Lushielle. His excuse was not very convincing. Any fool would be able to see through that.

The situation looked, indeed, quite peculiar.

Somehow, she hoped that she was gravely mistaken. Probably she _was _mistaken.

After all, what were the odds that you discovered a Mars Adept in a blink of an eye?

* * *

Author's Note: And Chapter 16 is done! There's so much going on now suddenly—Isaac's finally becoming blur, Karst is feeling happy, Mia meets with Alex, and Hama is getting suspicious, and Felix is baffled, and so much more! And what about the Djinn outbreak that's supposed to happen in Vale too? I'm starting to think that this story might be just the most complicated version of Cinderella I've ever come across. :(

Thank you to sweetmaiden for proofreading this chapter!

Oh yes, Picard isn't in this chapter at all—but he's definitely in the next one! Slow updates as usual, but I hope the climax hasn't been an anti-climax! Do tell me whether you think everyone's actions and stuff are normal, or especially if they've become OOC in any way.

Chapter 4 is almost finished editing, so read it when it's up—it's more important than just a side-dream-chapter, I just discovered. :P Stay tuned for updates to come—the story isn't going to end unless some more chapters come by! Comments, constructive criticism and advice are greatly appreciated!


	17. Hurry!

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality **

* * *

Chapter 17: "Hurry!"

* * *

"Garet?" A hand waved. "Earth to Garet!"

Startled, the redhead in question turned sideways to face an amused Picard standing beside him.

"Picard!" Garet exclaimed, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, I was thinking of something," he explained, scratching his head.

The blue-haired young man hid a smile. "Yes, I believe I noticed that," said he. "What's on your mind?"

"Uh . . . I'm not quite sure how to explain, but . . ." he explained hesitatingly. "It's nothing really." Even if he wanted to share his thoughts with Picard, he barely knew how to present the current situation such that it would make sense to an outsider listening. After all, what did he, Garet Jerra, know about all this?

He was baffled. Isaac's latest conduct was worrying him to no end. After all, you do not meet an acquaintance and forget all about her the next few hours later. That was the most baffling part of all. Truth be told, he was brooding on which method best to approach the prince. That was the only way to get answers, but he just had no idea how to go about it.

"I would rather you to 'come clean', Garet," said Picard seriously, observing him intently. "It must be a big issue if you're standing here, seemingly doing nothing." If Garet was in a better mood he would have teased him that there were still delicious foods around, he thought.

"Oh, all right." Garet was eager to confide in someone else, and he always regarded Picard as a sensible, understanding and wise person for his age. "It probably sounds silly, but . . ." He chose his next words carefully. "Have you talked to Is—I mean Prince Isaac yet?"

Picard cocked an eyebrow. "His Highness? No, I'm afraid I haven't. Why?"

"Well . . ." Garet paused, fidgeting, "You'll think I've a screw loose in my head, but I feel that he's—different. Somehow. I don't know how."

"Different?" Picard echoed. "What do you mean?"

_Yeah, well, he's apparently forgotten all about Mia alias Lady Sarah Lushielle, _he thought sarcastically. No matter how good a friend Picard was, Garet doubted he would accept that sentence at its true value. Ironically, he did not know Mia was blood-related to Picard. "It's sort of a long story," he began, his own voice unsure, "Just—different. It's like distracted plus something else I-don't-know-what."

"You make me even more curious, I'm afraid," Picard replied, chuckling mildly. "I'm afraid I cannot help you though. Last I saw His Highness, he looked well and fine. Why not ask His Highness himself?"

Garet nodded slowly. "Yeah, I was thinking of doing that . . ."

Picard looked at Garet keenly. "You do make me worried, you know . . ."

"Sorry," Garet apologised with a faint smile, "I'll keep you updated about this."

He nodded. "I expect you to."

----o----

". . . And in the end, I had to let them go because I had no concrete proof to accuse them of anything," Alex ended.

Mia stopped, her face drained of colour. Alex had just narrated the sequence of events that happened prior her entrance with Felix at the castle grounds. It was worse than she had hoped for. Her stepfamily's plans had finally worked! Despite all the precautions she, Sister Jenna and Garet took, they failed. It was all her fault for ditching the prince in the first place, she thought. She hated herself for letting this happen. Sister Jenna and Garet would be so disappointed in her!

_Useless. I couldn't help him in the end . . . If only . . . if only I didn't leave him back then . . . if only! _

In confidence, she had told him and Felix that the liquid Karst (she mentioned her name but did not inform him that they were actually related) administered to Isaac must have been some sort of poison that affected his mind. Only Mercury knows what she will do to him! Alex was more than mystified. So was Felix.

"How do you know all this?" Felix had asked her earlier suspiciously.

She did not know how to answer. "I . . . please, you've got to trust me. I can't explain things now, but I will . . . after we find His Highness first." She paused for a while. "You will trust me, right Alex?"

". . . Yes, I trust you, Mia," he agreed gravely. "I always have."

Now Alex looked around valiantly in the ballroom for familiar faces. Particularly a golden-haired prince. "Dash it all, I can't see him anywhere!"

"Let's split up," Felix suggested. "I'll find Ivan and Sheba. They can help."

"All right. I'll look for Picard. Maybe His Highness is with him."

Mia suddenly clutched Alex's sleeve when she heard her other cousin's name. "Picard? He is here too?"

"Of course. I'll tell him I've finally met you again," he answered with a smile. "He will be so happy."

They parted.

----o----

"What's the time now, dear?" King Kyle inquired. "My eyesight is failing nowadays, I'm afraid."

"Half-past eleven, dear," Queen Dora answered with a smile. "Soon, Isaac should be announcing his bride-to-be, and our future daughter-in-law!"

King Kyle scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm . . . speaking of that, what did you think of . . . just now?"

"Just now? You mean . . . when Isaac came along with Lady Hynas?"

"Precisely. Frankly, just between the two of us, I thought it was rather . . . odd."

"Well . . ." she paused. "It _was_ a bit strange. I wanted to ask him where was Lady Lushielle, but it would have been impolite to ask that in front of Lady Hynas. Then later, he excused himself with her before I could say anything. He seemed a bit distant . . . flustered," said she. "I hope nothing is wrong."

He nodded his head. "If I were suspicious, I would think there was something fishy going on."

"I like her," Queen Dora suddenly said with warmth, "Lady Lushielle, I mean. If I had a daughter I would have imagined her just like that. Isaac seemed to be quite taken in by her too, didn't he?"

"I believe so, dear. I think all of us think the same."

". . . I hope Isaac makes a wise choice, when the time comes."

King Kyle took her hand in his. "Well, no matter what happens, we still have to stand by his decision. It's his choice to make, after all."

----o----

Meanwhile, Prince Isaac was making his way to the lions' den . . .

He could not help but think Lady Sierra Hynas a most delightful young woman. She was intelligent, attentive, obliging, kind and really rather beautiful in her own way. Of course, Proxians had different skins from the norm, but her own pale skin made her dark, red eyes even more outstanding, he thought. She had charming tastes, in looks and in clothes. She was knowledgeable about world affairs, including Vale. She was witty and most interesting to talk to. And most of all, she saved his day!

Strangely, he felt that she had some charm over him. Like . . . magic, he thought. Whatever she said he would do most willingly. He did not pause to reflect why, but there it was. He had even discussed the whole ball event with her, and when he came to a stop to choosing a future bride, she had turned her dark red eyes at him. Her eyes pierced into him. She did not say a word. The meaning was there.

His mind felt dizzy.

Venus, could it be that he was falling for her . . .? When the time came for him to announce his future bride to the whole crowd, would he choose . . . her?

Curiously, his mind told him he would.

There he was guilty again. His conscience pricked him. What about this—this Lady Lushielle everyone seemed so concerned about? If she seemed so important, she must have been the person he invited over for dinner. He didn't think he would choose randomly out of desperation, so she must have caught his attention somehow from the mass crowd. And yet he couldn't remember a single thing about her.

No, all he could remember was Lady Hynas. She really was wonderful. When he thought about her his mind would go dizzy occasionally. He hardly knew why.

"What are you thinking about, Your Highness?" The lady of his thoughts suddenly spoke.

Isaac shook his head slightly, smiling. "Nothing, Lady Hynas. Or perhaps, should I say . . . you?"

She allowed herself to look away in girly embarrassment. He guessed she was blushing. "Your Highness . . . I don't really know what to say . . . really?"

"You've been wonderful, Lady Hynas," said he warmly, "I mean it."

"Thank you, Your Highness," she murmured. Then her voice rose. "Ah, that is my mother over there, Your Highness."

"Splendid. Let us meet her."

They moved towards Merlina, who was conversing with a young, blonde-haired female Proxian. As they approached Merlina turned and had a look of surprise on her face as she greeted them. 'Lady Sierra Hynas' quickly spoke before her mother revealed her real name.

"Mother, Sara, this is His Highness," said she, throwing a knowing look at both women.

Menardi lifted her eyebrow at the change of her name but decided to play along for safety purposes. "Your Highness, it is such a pleasure to meet you," said she as she curtsied. Her mother did the same.

"Please, it is all my pleasure," he smiled warmly. "Lady Hynas was eager for me to meet the rest of her family, and I am glad I agreed. It is wonderful meeting such wonderful ladies as you all."

Merlina noticed sharply that he did not seem to remember her from their first meeting earlier. "Ah, but you pay us too many compliments, Your Highness. I'm afraid we are like any other," she said pleasantly with a laugh.

"True compliments, my lady," he corrected gentlemanly.

Lady Hynas coughed delicately. "Actually . . . Your Highness, might you permit me to have a word or two with my mother and sister for a short while?" she asked, giving a charming smile.

"But of course, Lady Hynas," said the prince, "I have one or two business to attend to as well."

All three women curtsied as the regal prince departed thoughtfully.

----o----

"Ivan! Sheba!"

The two in question turned as Master Hama approached them calmly, unhurriedly. Ivan smiled.

"How is the night preceding so far, sister?" Ivan asked.

"From the outside, wonderful; from the inside, safe so far," the thirty-odd woman replied seriously. They both understood what she meant.

"Nothing strange or dangerous so far, eh?" said Sheba meditatively. "That's a relief."

Master Hama paused at Sheba's words. "Well . . . nothing dangerous, but strange . . . yes, you do intrigue me . . ."

Ivan pounced on her words. "There is something strange going on, then?"

She thought for a while before speaking. "From my point of view, yes," she admitted. "It's the reason I came up here to meet you two, actually. It's about the prince. And what I would also like to know is where this Lady Lushielle is."

"Oh, we've no idea as well, Master Hama," Sheba replied. "From here, we have an excellent view of all that's going on. The last we saw of Lady Lushielle was that she suddenly left the ballroom in the middle of a dance with His Highness. That was rather strange, considering they got on very well together."

"What is on your mind, sister?" Ivan asked. "The prince seems all right from what I see up here, but I wouldn't know much."

"When I had a few words with him earlier, he was . . . distraught, to say in the least," Master Hama said carefully. "His explanations were rather feeble. He had no idea where Lady Lushielle was, he even seemed surprised to hear that name. And to add it off, that Proxian woman with him is a trifle suspicious to me . . ."

Ivan frowned. "But I thought he was chasing after Lady Lushielle when she left him in the middle of the dance! Unless he lost sight of her, doubtless he would have been with her still."

"Master Hama, there's something you haven't told us yet," Sheba said sharply. "Is it something to do with that red-haired woman? Ivan and I thought her entrance together with His Highness was rather weird too."

The older lady sighed. "I had the feeling . . . that she is an Adept."

"An Adept?" both of them chorused.

"I cannot be sure, of course . . . but I could feel her Psynergy. Most probably a Mars Adept," she said gravely. "Naturally, her being an Adept may not have any bearing on our warning of danger, but anything suspicious in the least should be taken note of. Her behaviour was a bit unusual around me. I think she vaguely sensed my Psynergy as well."

"What is this all about?"

They all jumped when Felix's deep voice suddenly spoke from behind.

"Felix!" Sheba reproached mildly. "What have you been doing all this while?"

"Looking for you two," he replied shortly. "We need to find His Highness soonest possible. Something strange—no, dangerous—is going on."

Ivan was mystified. "No time for explanations?"

He shook his head briefly. "We have a good view from here. Try to spot him."

----o----

Picard was still reflecting his strange conversation with Garet Jerra earlier. His tone had been so serious, unlike the usual Garet everyone knew. And everyone also knew that when Garet was serious, it called for Concern with a capital C. And he _had_ been concerned . . . regarding the prince. He wished he could do something.

"Mercury, I've found you at last!"

He snapped out of his reverie as his younger brother Alex Lucerne arrived beside him. His manner was a tad agitated.

"What is it, Alex? You seem . . ." he scrutinised him carefully before deciding on the right word to use, "excited."

Alex laughed. He could hardly wait to tell him all about Mia. He wanted to be the first person to see Picard's reaction. "I have plenty of reason to be excited, brother! In no time you will be twice as excited once I tell you the news, I bet."

"You make me excited already," said Picard amusedly. "What is it?"

Even though Alex was in search for the prince, he found breaking that particular news to Picard just as important. He paused for a second or two for more dramatic effect. He even debated how to phrase it in the best way, but in the end just blurted it out.

"Mia is back!"

Picard regarded his brother for a few moments before reacting, "What?"

"She's back! I found her! She's right here in this room, brother!"

He looked at him a few moments again before speaking. "You're not pulling my leg, I hope? It's not something very funny to joke about, and you should know that."

Alex laughed. "I knew you would say that. Why would I joke about something so big? It's true! I just met her! She's all grown up already, but she's still the same Mia, brother!"

Picard believed Alex. But he simply just had to see Mia with his own eyes to double, triple check that the cousin he and Alex both missed for many years was finally back again. Mercury, they were just talking about her a few hours earlier!

"Where is she?"

"Somewhere around," Alex replied, now adopting a more serious tone, "looking for the prince. I suggest we look for His Highness as well."

He cocked his eyebrow. Looks like there was something wrong with the prince, after all. Even Alex, and now he discovered Mia too, was searching for the prince. Goodness, he would have never expected to hear of Mia here, now. The world was, indeed, full of surprises. "His Highness?"

"Yeah. I'll explain later."

----o----

_I'm an idiot. The biggest idiot in the world. If something horrible happens to him I'll not forgive myself!_

_Mia, don't blame yourself for what has happened, _Fizz comforted in her mind. _You didn't do anything._

_That's the problem; I didn't do anything! I left him!_

_Blaming yourself now won't solve the problem, Mia, _said Serac practically.

_Be strong, Mia. Priorities first, _Spritz advised.

Mia was so deep in her thoughts as she searched for Prince Isaac that she accidentally bumped into Kraden, Vale's experienced advisor. His loose glasses slipped and fell to the floor.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she apologised, helping the older man to retrieve his glasses.

"It's all right, my dear," said he, taking his glasses back with a nod of thanks. "Lady—Mia—no, Tia—ah, I've got it, Lushielle, right?"

Mia was desperate to find Isaac and to make sure he came to no harm. Only Mercury knew what would become of him under Karst's control. And now this kind but old man was trying to get her name right. The absurdity of it all made her confused whether to laugh or to cry. She decided on neither. "It doesn't matter now," said she hurriedly. "Do you know where Prince Isaac is?"

"The prince?" he echoed. "Hmm . . . why, I saw him earlier, talking to Garet, I believe . . . or was that before dinner?"

Mia was exasperated. "Oh, never mind, thank you" was all she said as she quickly left him.

Kraden was briefly puzzled. "What's all the rush for?"

----o----

"Well, well, looks like you've become quite the actress, haven't you, Karst?" Menardi teased. "Or should I say, _Lady Hynas_?" she exaggerated.

Karst grinned. "Lady Sierra Hynas at your service. You shall be my adoring sister, Sara Hynas." She then turned to her mother. "Did I not perform well, Mother?"

Merlina Larfax smiled. "Indeed, you did, my daughter. It was clever of you to change names. Always be prepared in every aspect, I always say. So the whole plan worked for you and Saturos, I presume?"

"Yes, it did. There were a few complications what with that Mr. Nosey Parker General, but the whole plan carried through. The prince is now eating out of my hand, so to speak," said she while laughing triumphantly.

"You are confident he will choose you?" Menardi asked sharply.

"Definitely. The potion is wonderful. One word from me and he listens and accepts as the truth. If I were to order him to kill himself now I doubt he would resist. I believe he is even taken in with me!"

Her mother raised an eyebrow. "Impressive. Saturos' level of Psynergy is, indeed, excellent."

"I believe my ears just twitched at the sound of praise."

The three of them turned as Saturos stood behind them. He bowed graciously. "Thank you for your kind compliment, Lady Larfax."

"Thank _you_," said Merlina with a smile. "Thanks to you, everything will go smoothly. Not even memories back of this masquerading girl calling herself Lady Lushielle can stop us now."

Karst looked surprised. "Masquerading?"

Her older sister nodded. "You don't realise it, but she's actually our interfering stepsister. She dispelled my illusion earlier. Knowing a Mercury Adept and meeting one almost at the same time is a bit too coincidental, don't you think?"

"You're right . . ." Karst scowled. "Meddling, useless girl! To think she would be so close to the next Queen of Vale if not for us!"

"Interesting," Saturos said. "That girl has brains, at least."

"Mind you, it would be better if we do not let her know that we _know_," said Merlina. She smiled, but it was not a very nice smile.

----o----

Left on his own, Prince Isaac began to think.

He thought of what should he do now. He fully realised that very soon, his parents would announce that their only son had made a decision, and he would be asked to choose who the lucky young woman was. This was the turning point of his life. He had to think carefully before deciding.

His mind told him that Lady Hynas was his best choice. It kept nagging at him even when he tried to shut it off. It was the first time he couldn't stop his mind from thinking what he chose not to.

There was some force from her . . . and force from somewhere inside him too . . . that willed him to choose her.

Finally, he gave in. After all, why not her? She had good qualities in every aspect that he saw. There might be a few who would contradict his choice due to her different race as a Proxian, but what other people thought didn't matter. _His_ opinion mattered. He was talking about his happiness, after all.

The more he thought about it, the more he decided he liked Lady Sierra Hynas.

But he was a fair man. He had to think about this Lady Lushielle as well. Even though he couldn't remember her that didn't mean she was no better than Lady Hynas. In spite of everything, she must have something that willed him to choose her as his companion during dinner.

Pain jolted in his head again. Why did he have to have this annoying temporary memory loss now? It made his choice even more difficult. Thank Venus at least the pain was slowly dissipating within time.

(Goodness, he was thinking about the ladies like they were mere objects he had a choice to possess.)

That was why he found Garet. Garet would fill him in with all the details he wanted to know. He trusted Garet.

"Garet!"

His godfather turned on him with gushing relief. "Mars, Isaac! I'm so glad you're here! Are you okay?"

_Not really,_ his mind said firmly. He decided to go against it for once. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you. Why the sudden relief, Garet?" he asked amusedly.

"Well . . ." he paused uncertainly. "Oh, where's that Lady—that Proxian woman just now?"

"Lady Hynas," he corrected with a chuckle. "She wanted to have a word with her mother and sister, so I left . . . to look for you," he ended seriously.

"Me?" Garet echoed. "Well I'm glad, because I've been looking for you high and low! I don't believe you're okay, Isaac. There's something wrong with you," said he, going straight to the point. "Tell me what it is."

Prince Isaac sighed. Here was the crux of the whole matter. "I . . . I cannot remember some things, Garet."

Garet stared at him with a blur expression. "Cannot remember? But you remember me!"

"I mean as in I cannot remember certain things only," he explained. "And I remembered most things only when Lady Hynas recalled my memory at that. I don't know how it came to happen, but it did. I would love to know how and why. But the worst part is that I don't know either. That's why . . . that is why I do not remember this Lady Lushielle you and the rest always mention . . ." he ended hesitantly.

". . . You're not joking, right?"

"Would I be joking at this time? Garet, I need to decide my future bride soon!"

Garet hastily apologised. "I'm sorry, Isaac. It's just . . . hard to believe."

"I know . . . trust me, I've thought myself crazy and it still does not fit in with all that happened to me," he said softly. "That's why . . . before I decide, I want to know more about this Lady Lushielle. I assume she is the one I invited over to our table during dinner?"

The spiky-haired redhead assented. "Yes, she—" he stopped suddenly as his gaze travelled up to the stage. "Hey, Uncle Kyle and Aunt Dora are up there!"

Isaac was stunned. _Don't tell me . . . _

"May I have your attention, please," King Kyle was saying as the crowd fell silent, "I believe the long-awaited moment has come for all of us. As time now approaches midnight, so does the moment of decision nears."

His fears were proven. Time flew by so fast he hardly realised it was almost midnight, the time to give his final judgment. He groaned.

"This is the time . . . when Prince Isaac, prince of Vale, future leader and my dearly loved son, will choose his future companion for the rest of his life. She will accompany him, support him and take good care of him, in good and bad. We pray that he will choose wisely."

The crowd cheered.

But he had not yet found out who and how was Lady Lushielle like in character! How could he make a fair decision? Was she greatly disappointed already, wherever she was?

"Isaac? Will you come and give us your word?" Queen Dora invited with her warm, motherly smile.

The whole crowd seemed to be silent, looking at him, full of hopes. In every young woman's heart lay the hope of being the lucky person.

Slowly, hesitantly, his feet moved forward. The crowd made way for him silently. There was no way he could say, "I reserve my judgment for now. I ask that I may be given some more time" to the crowd. No. He would disappoint the whole crowd, not to mention his parents.

He thought carefully.

He decided.

His footsteps were more confident now.

----o----

"May I have your attention, please."

"Look! There's the prince!" Sheba gestured impatiently at a small corner of the ballroom.

King Kyle was talking, but Ivan was not listening closely for the first time. "You're right. His Highness seems . . . fine."

"He doesn't seem to be with that Proxian lady, whoever she is," Master Hama observed.

"I wonder who will he choose?" Ivan thought amusedly.

"It should be pretty obvious, right? I've no doubt Lady Lushielle is his choice. After all, he _did _invite her over for dinner. That isn't something very ordinary," Sheba concluded. "Isn't that right, Felix?"

The stoic man nodded briefly, but he did not seem too sure.

Master Hama suddenly frowned, perplexed. "But I feel . . . that there's something not quite right . . ."

Ivan looked concerned. "Let's just hope for the best," he muttered.

----o----

As Prince Isaac stepped up the stage, King Kyle and Queen Dora were in high spirits, full of anticipation. The time had come for Isaac to choose his lifetime partner! Queen Dora was particularly excited at the thought of having her dear son finally married, and even more so excited at the prospect of a daughter-in-law. She had great faith in him.

King Kyle proudly watched his son approaching them. Isaac was a wonderful son, and he would be the perfect leader for Vale in the years to come. He just hoped that his future wife would support him all the way through.

"Father, Mother," Prince Isaac bowed. He gave them the tiniest smile.

"Make your choice, son," King Kyle advised with a grin. "Choose, just like how I chose your mother."

Isaac nodded.

----o----

"Ladies and gentleman," Prince Isaac began.

Mia had frozen the very moment King Kyle made his announcement earlier. Her expressive aqua eyes had widened, her breathing came to a stop before she finally remembered to breathe.

_So fast? _She looked at the huge, ancestral clock in the ballroom. It was almost midnight. The ball was coming to a close.

Now, she was rooted to her spot as she stared at the prince hard, the person she and her friends had been searching for all this while. She had not been in time again! She had not succeeded! This decision he would make was about to either give him happiness, or to tear his life apart . . . and the worst part was that he hardly realised it.

But _she_ knew, and _she_ hardly did anything. She did not reveal everything to him but kept it concealed in the very first place; for her own reasons she told herself she would destroy his night if she did. But perhaps it was better if she had told all. Even if she did spoil his night, at least the rest of his life would not be spoiled.

Better one night than one life.

Silly, stupid, useless girl! Why had she not given more thought to the consequences if she kept it secret? Now it was no use crying over spilt milk. The worst situation had come, and all her efforts (not to mention Sister Jenna and Garet's as well) would be in vain. And all for what?

_Cheer up, Mia. It mightn't be so bad! He might choose you, for all we know! We don't know for sure whether that silly stepsister did anything to make his brain malfunction,_ Spritz reasoned.

_I know Karst. She takes action, no thought. She wouldn't miss this chance._

But Spritz's words held her thinking for a moment. Would he choose her?

(Mercury, that sounded so vain.)

_Oh Mercury, as long as he doesn't choose Karst or Menardi! Anyone, just anyone . . . _

_Take it calmly, Mia,_ Serac advised. _Panicking won't get you anywhere. _

_Let's pray for the best, Mia, _said Fizz gravely. _You've done your best._

_No, I didn't,_ she thought bitterly. If he was really poisoned and Karst made his life a wreck in the years to come, she would not be able to forgive herself.

Someone suddenly nudged her from behind. It was Jenna.

"Are you okay?" she whispered. "Thank Mars I finally found you!"

"Sister Jenna . . ." Mia gripped her hand. "I'm afraid . . . I couldn't . . . Karst's gotten to him . . ."

Jenna understood. "She calls herself 'Sierra Hynas'," said she, hurling out the name with disgust. She patted Mia's hand. "Courage. It mayn't be as bad as we think." But her own voice sounded uncertain, wavering.

_Who are we trying to deceive?_

"I would like to express my sincerest gratitude and thanks to everyone who has made this whole event a wonderful and memorable one," Prince Isaac was saying. "I will not dilly-dally about, but I hope that everyone will stand by me no matter what choices I make."

The crowd was silent. Mia felt her heart pounding so hard in her chest she thought it would fall off.

Prince Isaac felt odd. It was the first time he was saying something like this. "And . . . it's not exactly my business, but for all the other charming ladies, your own special man is somewhere out there, waiting for you. But for me . . ."

_For you? _

It flashed in her mind. The times they were together. The scene at the pavilion, dinner, and their dance together . . . she felt like she knew him. Somehow.

She thought he felt the same. But did he really . . . ?

Prince Isaac paused momentarily. His azure eyes wandered around and caught sight of a familiar red-haired woman whom he knew well. She caught his gaze, and smiled. In her smile lay more than just an ordinary smile. But he missed the meaning underlying it.

He smiled faintly.

"I feel . . . that the lady I would like to (Venus, he hardly knew how to phrase things like this) have a chance to know her better . . ."

Everyone's hearts must have been thumping so loudly, but Mia felt that hers must have been the loudest of all.

This time, he smiled more confidently.

"Is Lady Sierra Hynas," he finished.

Mia's world shattered.

* * *

Author's Note: First of all, a super huge sorry for the terribly slow update! Hopefully you people still remember this story isn't finished yet. XD I'll be updating much more frequent now, don't worry! As I said before, I intend to finish this story by the end of this year. Hopefully it can be done, haha. 

Finally, after sixteen chapters, we've come to the climax of the story! We'll have some more to go before the whole story is resolved. I know there are many chapters just on the ball, but it's the most important thing in Cinderella, right? Never fear, things are going to get even more heated now!

Comments, constructive criticism and sage advice are all appreciated!

_Stay tuned for Chapter 18: Complications  
_


	18. Complications

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

* * *

Chapter 18: Complications

* * *

This time, he smiled more confidently. 

"_Is Lady Sierra Hynas," he finished._

_Mia's world shattered._

Time seemed to stop right then. Stand still.

Her mouth parted slightly, her eyes wider than usual. Her breathing came ragged.

She heard Jenna muttering something under her breath beside her, but it felt so far away, like a world lock, stock and barrel different from hers.

_Nooo . . . it . . . it really is . . . _

Prince Isaac was still smiling. He was only metres away from her, but his gaze was focused on somewhere else, to a certain person. His confidence and poise stunned her even more so.

The whole crowd was silent. Presumably, the crowd expected Isaac to announce a familiar name (perhaps even hers for all she knew) or even a famous lady noble; but not an unknown lady's name. How the crowd reacted was of no concern to her.

_I failed . . . _It nagged at her constantly until it seemed like a mantra.

Ever since she discovered her stepfamily's plot against the prince, she was determined to do something about it. She had eavesdropped cautiously (albeit narrowly missing detection a few times), travelled to Vale itself, spent her free time thinking hard on her methods and ways, and had done all she could to wreck the horrible plan. Sometimes she even dared to picture the string of events happening once she saved the prince. And only in her wildest fantasies had she ever dreamt of being together with the prince.

She had been so . . . so steadfast. She knew the weigh of responsibility it had on her, but she was willing to carry it. There were many obstacles, but Sister Jenna, Garet and her Djinn had created a pathway for her. They helped her, helped to make it all possible despite her unyielding circumstances. It was just up to her to break the story to the prince.

And now what?

Mercury, she had to be the worst person on this earth.

It was all her fault to begin with. Why, oh WHY, did she have to be such a busybody and keep the whole thing a secret in the first place? All her earlier thoughts haunted her time and again.

_Mia . . ._ She could hear Fizz echoing in the deep recesses of her mind.

She heard someone clapping. Then it followed slowly into a thunderous applause. She finally snapped out of her reverie, but could not bring herself to clap as well. So did Jenna.

Her eyes slowly travelled from the smiling prince to his parents. She noted briefly that they were rather surprised with his decision as well. Did they expect him to choose her? She wanted to laugh. She was hardly fit for him, given what she did to him. Or more accurately, what she did _not _do _for _him.

She wanted to cry.

Nevertheless, after exchanging glances with the Queen, King Kyle spoke genially, "And our Prince has spoken! May we invite Lady Sierra Hynas to come forward?" There was another round of applause.

"Mars . . ." Jenna muttered louder.

Mia suddenly whipped around. Her moment of paralysis was over. Now panic overwhelmed her. "Sister Jenna . . . what—what do we do now? I—I'm so sorry . . ." she choked out.

To her dismay, her young godmother's face was not much of a comfort either. Her mouth was set into a grim line, her eyes vexed. "I . . . Mars, I don't know either . . . unless we somehow—but he's made his choice . . ."

"No . . . but can't we do . . ."

_Be steady, Mia! He chose her, but that doesn't mean he'll actually marry her and stuff, _Spritz's high-pitched voice tried to soothe her, but it was in vain.

_True. You have to keep your cool, _Serac added. _It isn't the end yet, Mia . . . we still have time._

She wanted to collapse, but Serac's words stopped her. Did they still have time . . .? _Think, Mia, think! Think calmly!_

_Yes, we do! He chose her, but I'm sure we can do something to stop him or make him change his mind! Don't give up, Mia! _Fizz cheered.

Their encouragement gave her the tiniest glimmer of hope. That infinitesimal sign was what she was desperate for.

She steeled herself. Now was the _real _crucial part, not the time to breakdown and just go with the flow.

She had to do _**something!**_

----o----

"What?!" Ivan exclaimed.

"Lady Sierra what?" Sheba asked, almost not believing her own ears. "Who on Jupiter is that?"

"The red-haired lady we find suspicious," Master Hama answered. "Hmm, so it is her . . . I thought it would be Lady Lushielle, no?" said she thoughtfully. She looked at Felix and noticed his somewhat troubled expression as well.

Ivan was frowning. "Of course! I thought it was obvious that His Highness was smitten with Lady Lushielle. And now . . . how exactly did she manage to sway him?"

"Shh, I can't hear His Majesty's words clearly," Sheba intervened. "Oh, His Majesty is inviting her to come up!"

As the four of them watched keenly from the castle's balcony overlooking the whole ballroom, the crowd stepped aside, making way as a red-haired lady gracefully proceeded to the stage. The crowd was silent save for low whispers. Evidently no one had expected an unknown name to be announced as _the _Prince Isaac's bride.

"It isn't . . . very good, right? She seems to be a rather dark character, as far as we judge . . ." Sheba asked falteringly.

"She may not necessarily be a bad person just because we suspect that she is an Adept though," said Ivan. "Let's not be too prejudiced without concrete proof first."

Master Hama slowly nodded her head. "True, but still . . ."

"Still . . .?" Felix immediately pounced on her hesitation.

"I don't quite know, either," Master Hama said ruefully. "I just hope that His Highness is fully aware of what he is doing now."

"I wonder what Lady Lushielle will think? We still haven't seen her," Sheba mused.

Ivan grinned suddenly. "If she's seriously determined to have His Highness, she'll probably show up soon, don't you think?"

----o----

"Oh? Now who's that, I wonder?" Picard wondered. "Lady Sierra Hynas . . . I can't say I've heard that particular name before . . ."

His brother, Alex, was just as mystified. "Me too. Considering the reaction of the others here, I see they feel the same as we do. With the exception of the women, though," he added with a chuckle. "They'll hate this Lady Hynas now, I bet."

"It's a bit surprising that it isn't this Lady Lushielle whom he invited over to the royal family's table for dinner, isn't it? I thought it was well-circulated news that they got on well together."

Little did Alex know that they were actually talking about Mia! "That's true . . . I guess we were all expecting that. Poor Lady Lushielle . . . surely she would have gotten her hopes sailing up high ever since His Highness brought her for dinner together. Now it must be a huge disappointment for her."

Piers chuckled. "This Lady Hynas must be a great force of character. His Highness does not choose lightly, and I'm sure we all have great faith in him."

"She must be really remarkable to have swept our prince away," Alex agreed. "After all—"

He stopped suddenly as his eyes were transfixed on the red-haired lady stepping up to the stage with a smile. The change in his expression was so drastic that it made Picard uneasy.

"What's wrong, Alex?"

Alex could not believe his eyes. "It's her! She's . . . Lady Hynas?"

"What on Mercury are you mumbling about?" Picard asked, a note of irritation in his voice.

"Why did His Highness choose her? I can't believe it! She really _must _have poisoned his mind! Mercury, this is disaster!"

Picard suddenly grabbed Alex by the shoulders firmly. "Alex, stop baffling me and start from the beginning. Did you just say 'poison'? What's wrong with this Lady Hynas anyway?"

"Plenty of wrong," Alex replied grimly. "I'll explain later, brother. Now . . . if anything happens . . ." Picard was just as bamboozled as ever.

_Mia was right . . . I've a feeling things are going to turn black . . ._

----o----

Prince Isaac felt good.

Seeing Lady Sierra Hynas stepping up the stage towards him, he felt even better. Wait, something was nagging at him in his mind. But he ignored it.

He extended his hand to her with a handsome smile. She graciously placed hers in his, smiling back. Smiling triumphantly, he noted briefly. He could not help thinking that she looked striking, indeed. _Like . . . like a peacock. Proud and beautiful. _That thought came unconsciously to him.

Suddenly, an involuntary cry startled them both.

"No!"

Both of them turned towards the voice. Everyone did.

He saw _her_.

An aqua-haired lady, in her early twenties, dressed most exquisitely. She was undeniably beautiful. Yet, it was not her figure, not her dress even, which struck him most and caught his eyes spellbound to her for some intangible reason.

Her eyes. Deep, sapphire eyes. Eyes that drew him in, even with the distance between them. He felt like he could delve into that void behind those eyes for an eternity and never emerge again.

Confused feelings brew up in him. He felt like his inner mind was combating with something. Something that tried to block away those eyes. Why . . .?

He lurched a step back, suddenly feeling nauseous.

"Your Highness?" he heard Lady Sierra Hynas's voice calling out to him.

Prince Isaac forced himself to look at the aqua-haired young woman. "Who . . . who are you . . .?" he asked faintly, his voice thick. He felt pain.

But even when he asked that question, he already knew the answer. Only one person would cry out like she did. She had to be _the_ Lady Lushielle everyone seemed to know about. The one he asked over for dinner with his family. Yes, that had to be it. That would explain the pain he was experiencing now, too. It always came when he tried to remember her. She was like an ethereal being, oft denoted but never seen. But now that the real 'personage' was right in front of him to see, the pain seemed to double.

"I . . ." Lady Lushielle said softly. The whole ballroom was so quiet he could hear her. She looked deeply upset. She had plenty of reason to be, since he, Prince Isaac, had forgotten about her. Practically left her in the ditch and forgot about her the next day, his mother would say. The only difference was that it was between a lapse of a few hours.

He saw Lady Jenna placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. He was sorry too. He tried vainly again to remember all he could about her. His head throbbed hard. He gritted his teeth. No way could he let anyone, lest his parents, know. He debated on the appropriate words to say to her.

Fortunately, his father came to the rescue of the current situation. "Lady Lushielle . . . I am sorry, but this is my son's decision." Did he just detect a genuine hint of regret?

All of a sudden, Lady Lushielle found her own voice to speak. "No! It's not what you think! I'm not like that . . ." she trailed off.

Even with his pain, he afforded a tiny, bemused smile. No matter what she said, everyone would think _that. _That she was being a spoilsport, and basically, selfish and childish. He noticed that everyone was waiting for her to explain herself. There was a certain tension in the atmosphere. He stole a glance at Lady Hynas. She was scowling.

His smile was wiped away instantly the moment another jolt of pain pierced through his head. He gritted his teeth harder. Luckily no one seemed to be observing him for the moment. No, everyone was focusing his or her eyes on Lady Lushielle.

Those eyes . . . those mesmerising eyes . . . of course, he saw them during the ball tonight, but where . . . where _else _had he seen them before . . .?

Lady Lushielle seemed to be blurting out something. He did not pay attention. The pain was growing stronger and stronger by the second. He did not care. He was going to find the underlying cause of things for once and find out why exactly she triggered such a great upheaval in him. Even if the pain killed him, he would do it until he remembered.

Remembered where he had seen those eyes elsewhere prior to the ball. Or at least remember bits and pieces of the time they spent together before he invited her over for dinner. Yes, that was more important. It felt like he had distanced himself away from his surroundings. He was participating in an inner battle only he knew, searching for the light that would dawn on him when the whole mess cleared up.

_Venus, what is happening to me? _

He heard Lady Lushielle speaking some more, words from Lady Hynas, his parents speaking in low tones to each other, and the crowd whispering among themselves. All the voices seemed to mix in one whole mass of jumbled voices, making his head spin in wide circles. He caught the words 'search', 'poison' and a few odd phrases which left no imprint on his mind.

His head was reeling. He did not think he could last any longer. His head must be splitting apart. It was unbearable, excruciating pain. It seemed to tear his whole memory apart, forcing him to discourage all thoughts of her. The more he willed himself to remember, the greater the pain became. It was like ramming his head against the strongest brick wall. He was ramming his head to remember all he could about Lady Lushielle, but the harder he rammed into the wall, his head was only further bruised.

But no! He wasn't going to let it get the better of him anymore. He, Prince Isaac, was master of himself!

The pain reached its peak. He could not keep it anymore. He let out a cry.

Those who heard it looked at him.

His eyes suddenly caught Lady Lushielle looking at him. She had a desperate expression etched on her lovely face. He saw her vivid blue eyes watering.

It all came then.

In Vale . . . rescuing a hooded figure, with eyes just like them . . . smiling at him sadly . . . a tear running down her cheek . . . the whole memory rushed through his mind like a hurricane.

"_I am nothing to them but a servant paid for." _

He heard his own voice. _"Please don't cry . . ."_

"_Now please forget everything that I have said . . ."_

The pain unexpectedly disappeared just as his earlier memories of the night returned as well. His eyes widened as the times they spent together came back in a flash. Everything.

"_I'm not too sure whether I can explain, but . . . let's just say I feel that I have . . . an attachment to you, my lady." _

He clearly remembered the tinge of red on her fair cheeks now. Especially when they had danced later and he had compared her to not unlike a fair maiden. That was a slip of the tongue, but he really meant it.

"_Well, you could always take it back anytime . . ."_

He remembered himself grinning like an idiot when she finally called him by name. She was hesitant at first, but it made no difference all the same.

" _. . . I-saac."_

The overpowering impact of it all made him lose his balance. He staggered forward and fell.

Cries arose.

He heard his parents rush to him at once. So did others.

Lady Hynas stood rooted to the spot. Her scowl went deeper. Then he couldn't see her anymore. She was hidden by others who had rushed over to him.

He felt tired. Very tired . . .

He let his eyelids fall. The last thing he saw was a pair of aqua eyes . . .

Venus, oblivion was bliss.

----o----

Mia felt like she was on the wrong track entirely the moment she cried out 'in protest'. She could already predict her own cheeks turning an embarrassed pink the second she was aware of everyone's eyes on her.

She saw the prince lifting his eyes to her finally. She stared right into his eyes, feeling defiant yet desperate at one fell swoop. She could not help perceiving his azure eyes wavering as if he was troubled. Her thoughts were confirmed when he moved a step back uncertainly.

'Lady Sierra Hynas' rushed over to him. _Big fat liar, _she thought. Prince Isaac steadied his gaze at her albeit somewhat hazily.

"Who . . . who are you . . .?"

Who was she? Mercury, he really had forgotten her! He was totally in Karst's spell then, she thought grimly. Who was she, really . . .? Mia Lushiris pretending to be a nonexistent Sarah Lushielle? Or just a Somebody trying to save his back, but failed?

"I . . ." She could hardly get her words out. She felt so cold. The whole ballroom felt cold, too. Both atmosphere _and _the people in it.

"Lady Lushielle . . . I am sorry, but this is my son's decision," King Kyle said politely, expecting her to understand. How would he ever expect her to understand? It was _he _who did not understand!

"No! It's not what you think! I'm not like that . . ." she found herself speaking impulsively. She felt as though everyone in the room was looking down at her, whispering about her, giving her unpleasant stares. It felt horrible. The only thing that consoled her was Sister Jenna's hand on her shoulder. Even then, that was all Sister Jenna could do. She could only support her, back her up.

But not voice what she, Mia, had to say and wanted to say. That, she realised, she had to do herself.

_The truth has to come out. _

She kept it a secret once, but no more. It was a severe mistake, and she knew better than to commit it again.

"His Highness was poisoned!" It all came out in an uncontrolled rush. She bit her lip. She had probably just expressed herself in the most inappropriate and distasteful way possible.

There was a deadlier silence. Everybody was dumbfounded. Possibly they did not comprehend her, or simply just had no idea how to respond to such far-fetched proclamations. In fact, she was surprised that no one laughed. Doubtless it was impolite to do so. But she knew without saying that no one believed her, except for her friends who knew. Mercury, she doubted if the prince himself believed her.

But she did not care anymore. _Now or never._ She stole a glance at him. He did not seem to be listening, oddly enough. Her gaze transferred to Karst. She was scowling at her.

It somehow gave Mia satisfaction.

Finally someone dared to speak. "Lady Lushielle—" Queen Dora stepped forward, her gentle voice tinged with mild reproach.

"No, please listen to me! I'm telling the truth!" she said with urgency in her voice. _I'm not going to back off now. I want to do something right for once! _"I'm not saying it out of spite or anything! This woman—" she pointed a slender forefinger to Lady Hynas—"she poisoned him! She administered some kind of drug to him that controls his mind the way she wants it to!"

The room was still silent. The tension in the atmosphere was even greater, she felt. It was akin to a very taut, stiff string ready to break at any point. And anything that she said could be the trigger.

"It's not true!" Lady Hynas objected most vehemently. "She's lying! Your Majesties, I implore that such outrageous accusations be silenced at once!"

This time, King Kyle's voice was harder, more firm. "Lady Lushielle, I would like to advise you that such accusations will not be taken lightly. Please reconsider the logical side of matters." It had a subtle hint to back off. Mia caught it perfectly.

Considered from the logical side of things, she knew that she would be going too far. But it was _they _who did not know what lay **behind **the logical side of matters.

"I believe her."

Sister Jenna's voice cut through the air without warning, loud and resolute. It startled everyone, including her.

She turned back to face her. "Sister Jenna . . ."

"Me too."

Somewhere, far off, Mia heard Alex's voice ringing clear. She felt intensely grateful.

"And me too."

Whipping around once more to face the King and Queen with more confidence now than she ever had before, she knew that they were both astounded when even _Garet _vouched for her seemingly bizarre accusations as well. Her heart lifted. Would they now believe her? Surely, they would not take her accusation lightly after Garet's positive support!

"Garet . . ." said Queen Dora, "but don't you realise it is really quite . . . fantastic?"

"It's fantastic, but unfortunately very true," said he grimly. "I'm not out of my mind either. What she says is true. She—" he pointed to Lady Hynas as well, "is a fake! Don't be taken in by her, Isaac!"

Mia looked again at the prince. He seemed even more spaced out than ever, as if he was too preoccupied with his own problems to pay attention to the outside world. His eyes looked distracted.

"It's not true!" Karst denied, her face sullen. "Please do not be misled by such impossible, melodramatic accusations, Your Majesties. After all, that girl has no proof for her lame accusations!"

King Kyle was frowning. "That's true. If there is no proof, then we cannot entertain such accusations. Undoubtedly, it is unfair for Lady Hynas. Unless you have proof to show that Lady Hynas has really committed such grave atrocities, Lady Lushielle?" he looked at her directly, almost challenging her.

She knew she was turning him on. So was she towards everyone else in this room. Her mind was in whirl. Her only support was Alex, Garet and Sister Jenna. Otherwise, she was alone in trying to prove herself right when things looked so black against her.

Proof? What proof did she have? Her stepfamily was as cunning as a pack of foxes. There was almost no way they would make a careless mistake and leave it for her to discover with relish. That would be too good an opportunity.

"I . . ." she said softly. She hung her head down.

"Uncle—Your Majesty, please believe us! If you don't believe her, surely you believe me!" Garet cried. "Every bit of what she says is true! This Lady Hynas and her family have been targeting the throne through Isaac. They concocted some kind of poison so that they can control his mind according to their wishes. And I say all that without any screws loose!"

She heard the desperation in Garet's voice. He was nowhere near her, but she could picture his face. Of course, Prince Isaac mattered a lot to him . . . he would do anything to protect him. He was protecting Isaac's best interests as his godfather _and_ as a close friend.

_Think, think, think! What evidence might there be against Karst . . . come on, Mia! I need to do this!_

She felt Sister Jenna tapping her shoulder. "Is there anything that they might have left behind, Mia?" she whispered.

She felt herself wallowing in despair. She allowed herself to shake her head dismally. "What are we going to do . . .? If I can't show anything definite everything will go wrong . . ." Leaving aside her reputation, Prince Isaac would be wrapped around Karst's thumb if she did not do something drastic to make his parents believe her, and _then _the fat would be in the fire!

_Mia, what about the vial?! _She heard Serac suddenly exclaimed excitedly in her mind.

She frowned. _Vial? You mean the vial that contained the poison?_

All this while the room was hushed up. Now King Kyle's hard voice penetrated the silence. "Well . . . if you have no proof to back up your implausible accusations, Lady Lushielle, then let us settle our small . . . er, private issues and let matters be as it is. I am sure you agree?"

"No! Please, wait!" she implored him. "You must believe me! I'm only saying the truth! You don't understand!" She had to buy time.

_Go on, Serac. Hurry! What about the vial?_

_Well, according to your cousin, it was Karst who administered the poison, right? Therefore, she should have the empty vial with her now! _

_Mercury, Serac's right, Mia! _Fizz chipped in. _As long as the vial is still with her, we can prove ourselves right! _

"Well, what is it that we don't understand?" Queen Dora asked, her voice a trifled impatient. The crowd muttered agreeing phrases. They were restless.

The brainwave stirred her up properly. She realised that her Djinn could be right. Mercury grant her that Karst and the rest overlooked that aspect! "Please, I . . . have a request to make," said she, her voice shaky. She continued before anyone could say anything, "Just one request. This will show whether I have proof of my 'accusations' or not!"

King Kyle sighed. For a moment, Mia fully realised how badly she was wrecking the night. Everyone's toleration for her behaviour was probably reaching the limit, she thought. She cast her reflection aside. That did not matter where Prince Isaac's life was the bet.

"Well, what is it?" he queried finally.

She chose her words carefully before speaking. "I ask that K—Lady Hynas be searched, Your Majesty," said she hesitatingly. "I say that she poisoned His Highness. Therefore, the—the vial that contained the poison should be still within her possession."

"Nonsense!" Karst objected before the king could say anything. "Your accusations are so wildly improbable, yet you demand that I be searched! Preposterous! I beg to differ, Your Majesties!"

Nevertheless, Mia's sharp eyes caught the barest sign of a twitch in her normal, confident composure. It was all she needed to go on. She took the chance to push further. Enough with niceties!

"Well, if you proclaim innocence so fervently, then you should have no fears of being searched, right? Then your innocence in this matter will be cleared once and for all, and I will be merely spurting out nonsensical things!"

"Yeah, that's true," Garet added. "Let us have that favour granted at least, Your Majesties!"

King Kyle sighed. It definitely was NOT the night he thought and planned to be. All this was wearing him down. He had a sinking hunch that the darker side of things were just getting worse. "Dear, what do you think?" he asked Queen Dora.

Back down, Jenna whispered to Mia, "Are you sure this will work?"

She shook her head. "But it's either that or nothing else. She could have thrown the vial away, or given it to someone else for all I know. But that's all I rely on now . . ." Her gaze lifted up to Karst who was still scowling, but otherwise still acting the perfect innocent.

"Well . . ." Queen Dora began, "to make things fair and square, I think we should do as Lady Lushielle suggests. As she said, there's no harm to assure everyone else of your innocence, and this will straighten things out. I'm sure you agree, Lady Hynas?" said she, offering a sweet smile.

Karst fidgeted a little. "But Your Majesty . . . I really do think that it is an unnecessary inconvenience. Why should we entertain such ridiculous demands? By consenting to her, we might be playing right up to what she wants. Who knows what she might be scheming up her sleeve?"

"Hear, hear," Mia countered with a small smirk, "I wouldn't have expected to hear that from the schemer herself. Your Majesties, doesn't it show that she is unwilling to be searched and therefore shows signs of guilt? She is afraid that we will find the vial still in her possession! Please consider my words, Your Majesties!"

The crowd was getting noisier now. They argued among themselves as to who was right and who was wrong. Some was even beginning to side with Lady Lushielle. Most of them just wanted the whole thing to end peacefully without any further conflicts. The tension was building up so greatly it felt as though it would burst Mia's ears.

King Kyle lifted a hand. The crowd fell silent slowly. Mia's heart was pounding as she waited for his words of decision with bated breath. A million questions raced through her head in that one instant. Did they believe her now? Would her request be granted? What would the prince say in this matter?

Suddenly, she heard a cry. She jumped.

Everyone stared at Prince Isaac. His eyes met hers again. It was a mere second, but it felt more like an eternity. This time, she saw a great depth of understanding in his azure eyes. It seemed to hold a cluster of mixed emotions, but she thought she found relief in it too.

He fell forward.

She stifled her own cry. His parents swiftly went over to him without a second thought. So did others (friends of his, Mia presumed). The rest of the crowd was gaping at the fallen prince. Then mumbled voices rose up. Everyone started asking what happened. The noise got louder and louder. It only made Mia queasier than ever.

"Sister Jenna, what's happening to him?" she asked helplessly, turning back.

"I've no idea . . . why did he suddenly fall ill? Mars, everything is turning upside-down . . . " said she, pressing a hand to her forehead.

_And it's all because of me,_ Mia thought darkly. _If only I just did everything differently . . . _

However, the moment she lifted her eyes back to the stage again, her heart leapt again. This time it was not due to surprise, but alarm. Fear.

Karst was gone!

"Hey!" she exclaimed. She caught people's attention. "Where did she go?"

Slowly, everyone in the room, including the King and Queen, heard her. They echoed her question, many frowning. Some were already worried and wishing they were well back home, cosy and comfortable. Suddenly, Jenna gave a shout.

"Over there!" she cried, pointing a finger towards a very familiar red-haired lady, running towards one of the side doors in the corner of the ballroom unnoticed previously. "She's running away! Catch her, somebody!"

Perhaps the act of Karst attempting to escape surreptitiously finally proved her guilt, for King Kyle promptly roared, "Guards, stop her!"

Now that she was sighted, Lady Hynas pushed those who tried to stop her aside blindly to make way for her own escape as she rushed to the exit. Innocents fell down and hurt themselves. Others nearby felt frightened. It was only more so increased when they saw a few Proxians rushing to Karst's aid as she struggled with the castle guards that appeared at the king's orders. Screams and shouts arose. The people were turning wild out of fear and anxiety.

Jenna rushed to the scene where Karst was thrashing about with the guards. She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes riveted to the air. To her intense astonishment, she saw a small, spherical-like fireball aimed for an unfortunate guard. Nonetheless, it was more than sufficient to injure him. She was too late to do anything. It struck him right at the face and blew him a few feet away from Karst. She gasped. So did everyone else.

"Go!" she heard a man's voice ordering Karst to flee. Another fireball, bigger this time, hit two other guards restraining Karst. Those who saw it screamed. Goosebumps crawled all over their backs. They were all rendered speechless. It was a display of fire no one had seen before. The fire seemed to be alive!

Jenna tilted her head high and looked towards the source of the fireball. From far off, she saw a well-dressed Proxian with pale hair. Two other females were with him. She instinctively knew they were part of the stepfamily. She clenched her teeth in anger. Using Psynergy to hurt non-Adepts was a cruel deed!

"Stop!" she heard Garet shouting. "You'll hurt the innocents!"

His words roused her. She impatiently wriggled her way to the exact spot. Nevertheless, only the three castle guards were left sprawled on the floor when she got there, unconscious and badly injured. Karst's accomplices had vanished altogether as well.

"Call the paramedics!" she shouted. She took one look at their charred faces and felt sorry for them. Their wounds would heal, but scars would mark their faces.

She suddenly felt Mia at her side. "Oh Mercury, what have they done . . .?" she wailed. "Will they be okay?"

"Hopefully," she replied grimly. "The Psynergy used should have been minimal."

"What's going on?" King Kyle demanded from the stage. "Everyone, please calm down!" The Queen was gently holding her unconscious son close to her, her expression of deep worry. Her lips were pursed up as her eyes took hold of everything that happened. She visibly saw the whole room in chaos.

Jenna found Garet standing next to her too. "Mars, damn it! They escaped! I'm going after them!"

"Garet, don't! They're Adepts, and they'll outnumber you!"

He turned to her with a determined look. "Stay with Mia and look after Isaac, okay?" He took off after them without another word, leaving the two of them bowled over.

"Sister Jenna, Garet won't be safe!" said Mia, worried.

Jenna nodded in frustration. "He's always like that . . ." She looked around and was fazed by what she saw. It was like being in a jungle. Everything was haphazard. The people were like wild animals. Their usual calm and placid faces seemed twisted beyond recognition. They were afraid. There was no order anywhere. Even the King and Queen were distressed themselves.

No one knew what to do.

At that precise moment, the first strike of midnight rang.

It startled everyone. The slow rhythm of the majestic grandfather clock somehow quietened them. Yet, as if there were not enough surprises, another came.

Mia gasped when she saw tiny spots of light suddenly forming in the middle of thin air. Those fluorescent spots gathered around her, seemingly circling around her. She looked at them blankly with bewilderment. Those nearby her who saw it stared at her strangely, and several of them even backed away gingerly. The night was so full of shock, surprises and chaos that nothing seemed real anymore.

The second stroke of midnight told her what was happening. Realisation dawned upon her.

"Sister Jenna, it's midnight! Didn't you tell me the clothes will disappear at midnight?" she asked in alarm. "Will it leave me . . .?"

Jenna muttered an oath. "Mars, I forgot! I've no idea what will actually happen other than the clothes will only last until midnight. But I don't know the details . . ." she trailed off. Suddenly she had a brainwave. "Okay listen, Mia. Go through this door and keep going until you see a building separate from the castle. That's the servant quarters. I want you to get into one of their everyday clothes. There should be one or two spare dresses. Then just wait for me to come back. I'll only be gone for a while."

Mia pulled at her sleeve. "Where are you going?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"I'm going after Garet," she said grimly. "There's no way he can win if they all go against him. Stay here!" Giving her an encouraging pat, she smiled fleetingly before leaving as fast as she could in her encumbering dress.

Mia stared at her disappearing back a moment of two. She shook her head, cast aside any thoughts and hastily took off as well, ignoring people's stares at her and the tiny spots that encircled her.

----o----

"Whew, that was close," Karst panted.

"Close? It was a piece of cake," Saturos replied, chuckling. "I hardly used my Psynergy to secure our escape."

"Maybe it was not so wise to show our Psynergy though . . . not everyone knows of it," said Menardi thoughtfully.

"Nonsense," her mother cut in. "Who cares whether the whole world knows about it or not, my daughter? It was the best and safest way for us to escape. Even if the prince did not so conveniently faint, I would have asked Saturos to cause a distraction in order for Karst to escape unobserved. I would have done it myself, if not for the fact that I am no Adept."

"And I would take much pleasure in doing it," said Saturos, chuckling.

Karst laughed softly. "Anyway, let's quickly get out of here. I'm sick of being here."

Merlina, Menardi, Karst and Saturos were almost out of the vicinity of the castle grounds when Saturos stopped in his tracks. He signalled the other three women to stop as well.

"What's wrong?" Merlina asked with a frown, impatient to flee.

He put a finger on his lips. "Someone is following us," he whispered. True enough, they heard heavy footsteps following their trail. He quickly decided.

"Aunt Merlina, Karst, go! Go to the inn, pack our belongings then teleport back to Prox. Menardi and I will join you soon."

Briefly nodding their heads, they ran towards somewhere safe where Karst could cast Teleport unnoticed. At the same time, Saturos pulled Menardi to hide behind a clump of tall, dark trees lined up and hidden by the moonlight. They crouched low, notwithstanding rather uncomfortably for Menardi. She gathered and held the tresses of her dress close.

"Shh," Saturos whispered. "Here he comes!"

They kept as silent as they could, not moving an inch. The sky was dark except for a tiny glimmer from Luna, and their surroundings were still.

Presently, Garet appeared. He looked around valiantly, his breathing ragged from a long run.

"Garet, wait!"

Startled, he found Jenna running after him. He knitted his brow once she was beside him, panting away.

"Jenna, what are you doing here? I told you to stay with Mia!" he reproached her. "And running like that in that dress . . . what were you thinking?"

She turned to him with a glare. "Well, I've the common sense to realise that one isn't a match for four, and I'm human enough not to leave you go off by yourself and be found dead later! So much for the thought," she puffed huffily.

Garet sighed and managed a sheepish grin. "Sorry . . . but I couldn't let them go just like that after causing such a big ruckus. But I lost sight of them somehow . . . they seem to have disappeared." He balled his fist tightly.

"Either they're fast runners, or . . . maybe they're hiding around here somewhere," said she, looking around alertly.

Suddenly, both of them saw four shadowy figures darting out from a batch of trees far off.

"There!" Garet exclaimed. Not letting go of the chance, both of them ran off in hot pursuit immediately. Determined expressions outlined their faces.

The moment they were truly out of sight, two figures leisurely emerged from the clump of trees. Saturos had a wicked smile on his face.

"I wonder where my illusions will lead them to. Somewhere very, very far off, no doubt."

Menardi's smile matched his as she dusted off her dress carefully. "That was a clever touch, creating illusions to throw them off our track. It's better to let them think we're still in Vale when we will already be in Prox."

"True," he agreed readily. "It is certainly useful to master the art of illusions."

She laughed. "Well, let's not stay here any longer. Karst and Mother must be in the inn now. Let's go ourselves."

Walking to an open space in the castle grounds, Saturos was about to cast Teleport when Menardi suddenly clutched his hand. He was about to raise an eyebrow at her when she pointed to a building not too far off. Opening the door was a familiar figure . . .

They looked at each other. Slowly, both of them smiled wickedly.

"Shall we?"

"Yes, let's."

* * *

Author's Note: This chapter's title _Complications _is the best title to classify the WHOLE story, not just this chapter. XD But anyway, actually I was planning to end the whole night in this chapter, but it ended up TOO long for comfort, so the rest goes into Chapter 19. Update should be much sooner since I've practically written the first half already, haha.

So we've reached the climax of the story! I hope it was satisfying and not a let down for readers, since I've really tried my best to make it good enough for a climax. Things look pretty black now, but stay tuned until the end of the story to see how it goes! The next chapter will clear up the night and end the climax (but probably a few mini climaxes to come in the future chapters too, haha).

Last but not least, thank you for reading! The story's nearing 20 chapters, and I appreciate all those who've kept up so far! As usual, constructive criticism, advice and comments are greatly appreciated!


	19. Restless Night

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

* * *

Chapter 19: Restless Night

_

* * *

_

Whoa, Mia, that was hectic. 

_Yeah, what with you trying to get the prince to his proper senses, then him fainting, then your stepfamily finally showing their fangs, then finally we all realise that it's midnight._

Mia sighed. The whole thing did not go quite as she had hoped. In the end, nothing had been achieved where only chaos reigned. She could only hope that the royal family would ultimately be convinced of her stepfamily's guilt, and somehow cancel the prince's decision. At least she had done _something. _With a tiny bit of luck, all would be well. Yet, at that moment, she hardly felt optimistic at all.

She thought she faintly heard another chime echoing from the grandfather clock in the ballroom. It was probably the sixth or seventh ring already.

She felt exceedingly odd, what with all those phosphorescent circles swirling around her while she ran as fast as she could on her glass heels. If she had all the time in her hands, she would have sat down and stared at those ethereal things with awe until they gradually vanished. But no, she had to run. Her feet felt cramped already, and started to ache badly. Oh, what would she do for a pair of nice, flat sandals instead! Evidently Sister Jenna's mystifying wand preferred classy, glass high-heels, she mused dryly.

The aqua-haired young woman bent around a sharp corner of the castle grounds and inevitably felt something entangled as a low tree branch hanging down got into the way. She hissed tersely in annoyance. Time was _not _something she had. Wrenching away quickly without much thought, she felt a mild throb and flinched. _Dismiss it, and move on, _her mind instructed.

To her surprise, she found her lovely dress slowly disappearing, only to be replaced by her old clothes before Jenna's magic wand had changed it. The change started right from her shoes, and crept up slowly to her voluminous skirts. She sighed in relief. Having her old, flat but comfortable shoes made it easier to run. Much, _much_ easier.

She finally saw a building far off. _Finally!_

When she stepped past the door and closed it noiselessly, only then was the transformation complete. She was now in her own light, blue cotton dress she always wore. She sighed again. At least it did not leave her bare, she thought. The thought made her shudder involuntarily. Imagine if such a catastrophe happened!

_Mia, actually you don't really need to change now, right? I mean, as long as you're back in your old clothes and not in those that people recognise you in, it should be okay, right? _Spritz asked.

She pondered over it for a while. Spritz's word did have truth in them, after all. Then her gaze went down to her dress. The colour had faded, and parts of it had been patched up with bits and pieces of cloth. The cloth itself was starting to wear out. It was the perfect picture of a worn-out dress worn by girls in extreme poverty, she realised. She suddenly felt ashamed of herself. Goodness, no wonder her impression did not last long among those well-bred, rich Proxians in her stepfamily's society. She looked around.

After all, she was here already, so why not just change? Not only would her present dress embarrass her were she to go back to the ballroom while waiting for Sister Jenna's return; wearing a normal maid's dress would aid disguise if necessary, she reasoned out.

_True_, Serac agreed. _Hurry!_

She quickly changed into an inconspicuous gray and white dress taken from a spare wardrobe in the nearest room, and exited the building. Feeling the wind pick up, her lustrous hair flew to her face as she closed the door of the servants' quarters. Her hand immediately went up and tucked her hair neatly behind her ear. She felt her hand touching the earring dangling lightly from her ear, and her eyes widened as something struck her.

Why did not the earring disappear?

Her other hand instinctively flew up to the other ear, and she felt twice as mystified when she found the other earring gone. In a flash, she suddenly recalled the throb of pain she felt earlier while bending around a corner.

_It must have been my earring entangled with the tree branch! _

She realised it was probably lying unnoticeably somewhere on the ground now. No wonder it hurt. Luckily, they were loosely attached clip-on earrings.

She had no time to find it, she thought. Perhaps unless the two earrings were together, they would not disappear. That was the only solution she could think of, impossible as it was. Nevertheless, she took off the earring on her ear and kept it in one of the dress' pockets. She would look dreadfully silly wearing only one earring.

She breathed in the fresh, cool air of the night as she thought of her next action. _Maybe I'll go back to the ballroom and check up what's going on now. _Perhaps she could do something and maybe even slip around the castle now that she was unobtrusively dressed. She wanted to do _something._

Mia got the shock of her life when an arm slipped through her left arm.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" said a silky voice. Mia curled her lip in distaste. She had always hated Menardi's sleek, cunning voice.

"Let go of me!" She tried to free herself, but Menardi's iron grip refused to relent. She was tougher than what her impression gave, Mia realised. To her amazement, she found another arm slipping through her right arm as well. Looking up in trepidation, she found Menardi's close friend, Saturos, grinning amusedly at her.

"Better not attempt to run, hmm?" he threatened lightly, his manner so terribly genial. "Otherwise, we might have to resort to more . . . drastic measures, shall we say?" His grip on her arm tightened visibly, and she grimaced.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small ball of deep, scorching fire forming in Saturos' other free hand. Mia smelt her own fear then. Images of the castle guards' faces haunted her memory. She remembered it all too clearly, and involuntarily quivered. She could feel her Djinn inside her trying to pacify her, but she felt afraid . . . even terrified when she knew all too well that her stepfamily and their kind joked rarely.

What was worse was that she knew they could taste her fear as well. She struggled to wrestle away from their hold, even when she knew it was futile. But perhaps if she had learned how to control her Djinn and Psynergy properly, the chances would not have been so bleak.

"You should be glad that we bother to keep you alive," said Menardi, her eyes glinting. "We're still rather . . . interested in you, or to be more accurate, what's _inside _you." She smiled cruelly.

Mia's heart leapt. _Don't tell me she means the Djinn . . .? No! They want them . . .?_

"Don't bother faking your innocent face. I suppose you won't release them on your own accord, so we'll have to extract it from you with force, I'm afraid," Menardi went on smoothly. "Besides, it wouldn't be exactly fair to Mother and Karst if we were to kill you off right now without letting them see your petty, miserable face one last time." She grinned at Saturos. "Let's go back, Saturos."

"As you say. Teleport!"

Mia gasped. _They can cast Teleport too, just like Garet? No! I haven't finished here! And Sister Jenna told me to wait! I can't leave! _

She tried to wrench away one last time with all the guts and strength she had left, but Menardi shoved her back. Before she knew it, Saturos' Psynergy was already in action. For another time she felt her body slowly dissipating as the three of them, she practically sandwiched between the two of them, became hundreds and thousands of vibrant circles, blending into the atmosphere. Once high up in the air, she felt herself breaking apart as they travelled faster than light. She shut her eyes tight as her blurred surroundings made her head spin dizzily. Tears threatened to spring up there and then. She forced it down.

She still felt light, but that wondrous feeling of excitement she once felt together with Garet and Sister Jenna was no longer there. It was substituted with a feeling of dread pressing down in the depths of her heart.

She had come, and she had gone back. With nothing accomplished. With matters only made worse. She did nothing helpful.

Mia felt utterly defeated.

----o----

Garet began to smell a rat. Something was wrong.

He paused in his step, Jenna right behind him. They were trailing the Proxians, who had no idea (or so he hoped) yet that they were being followed. One man, three women, he noted. They had shadowed those four figures closely from the moment they exited the castle grounds, and now they were somewhere in the neighbourhood of Vale. It was easy to keep track of them; it looked as if all the villagers had retired to bed, the roads were so deserted. He saw buildings and lonely roads that he was unfamiliar with. This part of Vale he knew not; he could only follow the Proxians blindly and see what they were up to.

But the longer they pursued quietly, the less convincing the Djinn's arguments stood.

_-Flashback-_

_He cracked his knuckles. He could see the Proxians standing in the distance, huddled together. He wondered if they were discussing something. No matter. _

"_Stay behind and support me, Jen. This could get rough." He had some real good beating to do out of those four people. They mistreated Mia badly, gave Isaac a hell lot of trouble, and were running away like a bunch of cowards. No way could he, Garet, let them go scot-free just like that. _

"_O—okay," Jenna agreed hesitantly, pausing to look at her state of clothing before shrugging. "So much for dressing up," she muttered. _

_**Wait! Don't get too hotheaded, Jenna! **__One of her Jupiter Djinn, Zephyr, spoke quickly. __**It mightn't be such a good choice to try beat them up now . . . right guys? **_

_**Hmm . . . as much as it sounds more fun to mess 'em up, you do have a point, Zephyr, **__Cannon supported. __**For all we know, those four could be very skilled Adepts, Jenna. It might turn bad. **_

_Jenna stopped to ponder on her Djinn's words. All her Djinn—Zephyr, Whorl, Corona, Cannon, Spark, Reflux, Shine and Flower—seemed to agree on one accord. "But we have to get them! Otherwise they'll escape and maybe we won't get to track them down again!" she objected with a scowl. "I'm sure we can handle them. Right, Garet?"_

"_Yeah, now's really not the time to talk about it," he agreed. _

_One of Garet's Venus Djinn, Quartz, suddenly spoke, surprising the redhead. __**It's four to two, Garet. We have the disadvantage actually. Maybe we shouldn't be so brash. Truthfully, you both are still inexperienced. They mightn't be, you know. They look tough, especially that guy.**_

_**I'd like to agree, **__Flower seconded. __**It might be dangerous. After all, we can just follow them to see where they go right? They might even lead us to their hide out if they have one here in Vale. Maybe that's where they're going.**_

_Garet could hear his Djinni, Forge, sighing. __**As much as I'd love a battle, we have to think of our masters too. It will be risky. I think Flower's plan is sensible. **_

"_They might be leading us on a merry-go-round in Vale for all we know!" Jenna hissed, folding her arms. _

_**Well, as long as we keep track of them, they won't be able to shake us off. They'll get tired sometime if they do, **__her favourite Mars Djinni, Spark, reasoned._

_The most sensible Djinn of the lot, Geode, spoke. __**It won't hurt to follow 'em for a while. If it gets drastic, then we give 'em a good shaking. That's what I think. Right, Garet?**_

_As aggressive as he was, Garet was rational enough to see sense. In any case, he did not want Jenna hurt. He saw her looking at him, waiting for his say in the matter, and sighed._

"_Fine," he muttered grudgingly. _

_-End flashback-_

The more he thought about it, the more fool he thought he was. Here he was, hiding behind some sort of building, spying on four figures a block away. He suddenly turned back and faced Jenna. They were both perspiring. "It's not working, Jen. I think they know we're behind them. It's been so long and it looks like they're just wandering aimlessly!"

She frowned at him and impatiently put a finger on her lips. "Shhhh!" she shushed.

"Well, I don't think they can hear us," he whispered back as he turned around again to scrutinise the Proxians, "they're so far—" he stopped.

They were gone!

Garet cursed under his breath. Together, they raced to the spot they saw the Proxians last. Far off, they thought they saw four dim outlines disappearing around the corner of a dark building. The area was poorly lit, the streetlights illuminating only a mild glow.

By the time he and Jenna did the same, they were nowhere to be seen! They had vanished!

He stated the obvious. Jenna shot him a glare. "Whose fault is that, I wonder?"

"Hey, not all mine!" he protested. "You didn't pay attention too!"

"I was listening AND looking at you, Garet!"

"All right, all right, I'm sorry," he apologised hastily, "let's not argue, and look for the Proxians instead, okay?"

Jenna inhaled deeply. "Right."

Ten minutes later, they gave up their search. Nothing led them to show the Proxians were anywhere near. Not even a thorough inspection of every nook and cranny around revealed anything of interest. It really seemed as though they had totally vanished into thin air!

"How can this be?" Jenna complained. "We explored every inch of the area, and we don't find even a footprint or something at all? Impossible!"

Garet raked a hand through his hair irritably. "They must have disappeared somehow. Maybe they teleported away just before we reached here."

"Sounds possible," Jenna admitted with a sour look. "They must have been leading us on a wild goose chase, damn them. They'll get away now." She looked at Garet half-accusingly.

"Jenna—" He started to defend himself again when Jenna's hand cut him short.

"Don't start. It's okay . . . we're both at fault, really," she confessed with a sigh. "Let's not start quarrelling here okay? It's not been exactly the best expedition to make in my dress, and I just lost my newly bought shoes. All for a stupid, unreasonable wild goose chase. I swear, when I get them I'll . . ." she stopped her sentence as she grimaced. She had stepped out of her high-heels since it restricted her movement, but the sole of her feet were very sore because of that. She even stepped unknowingly on some sharp object once, cutting into her skin.

Garet's eyes softened. He realised that the chase must have been more exhausting and unpleasant for her than it had been for him. She was probably very exasperated, defeated and most of all, tired. Heck, he himself was tired. Additionally, he had no idea what was the time. Well over half past midnight, at least.

He knew the stinking feeling of coming back with nothing.

". . . Are you okay?" he asked hesitatingly. With Jenna, sometimes he found it hard to express himself. They bickered a lot, but it never lasted for long. Ever since Isaac accused him of having a special penchant for her, he had been unconsciously cross-examining himself. Did he really care for her in _that_ way . . .?

Jenna winced again. "Yeah, I think so," said she, offering him a weak grin. "I'd drop dead on any bed now, if not for that fact that I have to nurse my poor feet first." She made a face. "So . . . what do we do now? I mean . . . they've given us the slip somehow, and I've no idea where we are exactly, and . . ." she trailed off. She bit her lip.

Garet knew she was extremely frustrated at herself. So was he. They had done Isaac and everyone involved in this injustice by letting the Proxians escape. He would hate breaking the news to Uncle Kyle and Aunt Dora later. He gingerly patted her on the shoulder. "Let's go back home, I guess . . . I mean, we can't do anything now . . . besides, we're both tired, and your feet look rather bad . . ."

"Home?" she asked, surprised. "But don't we have to go back to the castle and check on Mia? I told her to wait for me to come back. I hope she's not worried . . ."

"You did?" He frowned. "Well . . . but you're in no condition to go back to the castle like that, Jen," he pointed out bluntly. "Besides, the ball probably ended already. Frankly, I doubt people will want to stay for long, after seeing that pale guy and his Psynergy. I'll teleport both of us back to your home directly, and I'll go to the castle and see how Mia's doing. How about that?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're up for all that?"

He managed a laugh. "Think so. Besides, I'd like to check up on Isaac and let Uncle and Aunt know that . . . well, what happened," he explained sullenly.

The red-haired young woman caught the change in his voice. She lightly squeezed his arm, something she did not do often. "I'm sure His Highness will be okay," she reassured with a faint smile.

He looked at her gratefully and affectionately. Even with her tousled hairdo and her light makeup ruined, he thought she still looked rather . . . pretty. _Yeah . . . really pretty._

"Thanks. Once home you better cast Aura on your poor feet," he suggested kindly.

She looked at him for a moment before looking away hastily. "I know that," she said gruffly.

Garet regarded her awhile before stepping closer to teleport both of them away from that place. The next thing he knew was that they were standing in front of the doorstep of Jenna's house. He heard her sighing in relief.

"Well, I guess I'll be going," he said.

"Yeah . . . thanks for the ride."

"Nothing doing," he replied awkwardly, scratching his head absent-mindedly. "Uh . . . see you tomorrow. You'll be coming over to the castle, right?"

She nodded. "Of course. Help to accommodate Mia for the night in the castle, okay? I'm sure Their Majesties will approve of that. She saved His Highness, after all." She smiled.

He laughed. "Yeah. If it stays like that, they'll be practically together in no time," he joked. "But seriously, the castle's the best place for Mia to be in now. The Proxians will want to come after her, I'm sure. We'll keep her safe."

"Let me know if there's anything at once."

"Will do."

----o----

"Safe now?"

There was silence. Occasionally a snore or two rose,

"Yup. Man, it took him so long to sleep!"

"I hate being here! No freedom, no nothing!"

A raised eyebrow. "Yeah? Like we don't? We're all dying to escape!"

"Haven't we come up with a plan yet?'

"Nope . . . for one, I'm still trying to figure out why we're held captive like this. And it doesn't help when they're so secretive . . ."

"Nooo . . . we're guinea pigs for that ugly guy's experiments! We're all going to be cut open!"

"Don't be paranoid. Most likely they want to—"

Suddenly a rough voice made all of them jump out of their skin. "I said, SHUT UP!" There was silence, then a low grunt.

". . . He's talking in his sleep."

Everyone sighed in relief.

----o----

Slap! It made a shrill sound in the enclosed room.

"So, you still refuse to release your Djinn?" Karst taunted with a smirk.

Mia winced, her cheek stinging from the hard slap. She could neither reply nor even budge from her position. Her mouth was gagged, and her wrists were bonded with ropes tied to a chair so tightly that it bit into her flesh. She had involuntarily screamed at that juncture. That made them shut her mouth then too. She knew their stepfamily had the utmost pleasure of holding her captive. She knew Menardi's hand had been itching to do the talking for the longest time when she was slapped for struggling in attempt to free herself. And now Karst was having her share.

Even her Djinn could not do anything to help her now, Mia thought. She was weak and exhausted. She counted the possibilities of escaping. She was gagged and tied to the chair; no screaming, no moving, and to crown it all, four people she had no chance against were blocking her escape. Besides, attracting attention from any occupants of the inn would prove hazardous. She hated to admit it, but chances were almost nil.

Despite that, she would take care of her own Djinn. Yes, that was the least she could do as an Adept. No matter what it took, she would never give up Fizz, Spritz or Serac to people such as them. Only Mercury knew what would happen to them.

"I suppose being silent and daydreaming your head off means you decline?" Karst sneered, roughly pushing Mia's chin up to see her face.

Mia's eyes, drained but challenging, regarded them steadily without mumbling a word through her gagged mouth. Now was **not **the time to give up!

Another sharp slap rewarded her. "Then so be it," said Karst. "I've no time to make reason with an imbecile like you, _Cinder_Mia. You should have been burnt into cinders and thrown into the garbage pile a long time ago!"

"Let's not rush too fast, my dear Karst," Merlina intervened pleasantly. She was hurriedly packing their things with Menardi efficiently; they were almost ready to leave for Prox. "I'm sure Saturos has bigger plans for her before we dispose of her."

Saturos smiled, a row of white teeth showing. Mia found it most insincere. "That's right. Since she so adamantly refuses to release her Djinn, I shall have the pleasure of testing my newest experiment. She shall have the honour of being my first . . . patient." Hearing him saying it so cheerily gave the aqua-haired young woman the chills. She looked away dismally. What had she done . . .?

She realised she was literally in _very _hot soup. They had seen past her disguise as Sarah Lushielle (her stepmother was in a rage over that), and now they were too eager to exact revenge for tricking them. Spoiling such an important plan must have ignited their anger up to the point of no return. She had foiled their plans to control the prince, destroyed their plans in taking Vale's throne, and even showed them up openly until they had to reveal their true character to all in the ballroom.

She was sure that they would have killed her with supreme relish at the first chance . . . if not for the Djinn still in her. That was the only thing keeping her alive for the moment. On the other hand, she did not think her chances to stay alive were very long either. One way or another, they would forcefully extract the Djinn from her, and then what . . .? They were ruthless where their safety was concerned; she knew of the saying, 'dead men tell no tales'. She was only a greater liability to them the longer she lived.

Mia felt very afraid. Whatever ounce of bravery she possessed faded away when she realised the severity of her current situation. She cast her eyes down to the ground, hoping that a solution would magically present itself to her and all would be well.

_What am I going to do . . .?_

"Are we ready to go?" Menardi asked, looking around. All five of them were in Merlina's room, situated at the furthest end of the floor.

Suddenly Saturos got up from the bed he was sitting on. "Wait. I forgot something. Karst, could you be so kind as to take the . . . little present I acquired earlier in the evening? And also the other . . . little things that I obtained earlier as well," he asked courteously, smiling crookedly with a hidden meaning behind it.

"Make haste then, Karst," her mother instructed. "The sooner we go, the better it is for us."

Apparently Karst caught his hint, for she mirrored his smile and departed, her footsteps treading so softly like a cat's. From her seat on the hard chair, Mia felt utterly hopeless. Here she was, caught red-handed into the lions' den, with the odds so terribly against her that the only thing she could do now was to go along with flow. Mercury, intuitively she even came to the point of understanding that she had to be ready to face death anytime, if matters grew as bad as that.

She snapped out of her reverie when Saturos suddenly stepped in front of her. Mia had always found him most mysterious, repulsive and odious from the very moment she met him with Menardi. But now, as she looked up at the tall, pale figure wearing that malicious smile, she felt fear.

"You know," he began genially in a slow drawl, "I really don't think this is the best time for you to be so . . . attentive, shall we say," said he, pausing to reflect on his own words. "After all, I look forward in entertaining you with a surprise when we return to Prox. Wouldn't we, Menardi?"

Mia glanced at Menardi with a frown. What on Mercury was Saturos talking about?

"Oh, you mean . . . bringing her there?" Menardi asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well, I suppose I'd be glad to be rid of her from home. Are you sure you won't mind having her there instead? Would Agatio mind as well?"

He laughed. "Mind or not, it would be more strategic for her to be there." Turning to Mia, he smiled amiably. "I'm sure you will agree with me once you are there, Lady _Lushielle."_

Mia had not the foggiest idea what they were conferring. Her heart felt with dread when she heard them discussing her as if she was an inanimate object, not unlike trash. She felt very . . . vulnerable not knowing what was going on. It was her life at stake, after all . . . and the worst thing was that she knew she still had a long way to go before everything ended.

"Now, I'm afraid I shall not behave very gentlemanly, but I would really not prefer to have anymore display of Psynergy tonight. You must be tired, milady," Saturos continued, his smile still plastered on his face. For a moment Mia felt such a strong feeling of abhorrence against him. It created an irresistible urge to wipe that annoying smile off that disgusting pale face.

Swiftly, Saturos bended down closer to her. His action took her taken aback. The last thing Mia knew was a sudden, acute pain at the back of her neck before she fell unconscious.

----o----

Queen Dora sighed. "Thank you, Ivan, Sheba. I'm sure it's been a very long night for both of you. You needn't stay up any longer. Go to bed and have a good sleep." She smiled gratefully.

"Are you sure, Aunt Dora?" Sheba asked worriedly. Looking at the motherly queen sitting by Prince Isaac's bed, she felt a deep pang of sympathy for her and for King Kyle. Things had finally settled down somewhat, but she had misgivings that it would rest. In her mind she pictured once more all the havoc caused by merely a few people, affecting the whole crowd gathered in the ballroom.

It was only after Prince Isaac had been swiftly placed into Vale's most skilled physicians and put to proper rest that the King and Queen concentrated on regaining order in the room. It had been a tough job. Not only was it hard to mollify the crowd, it proved even a greater task to appease the highly-indignant lords and nobles that travelled afar to attend the ball. Their lives had been on the line (or so they claimed), and they were deeply reproachful about it. The King and Queen did all their best to apologise, soothe and to make up for all the troubles or inconveniences caused.

Even so, the damage was already done. Even though it was not the King and Queen's fault for such a tragedy to occur, it could blemish Vale's reputation as a safe country, Sheba thought. People did not forget events such as this within a day. The King and Queen had apologised ardently to everyone, explained that Prince Isaac was somehow ill, and for that reason the ball would have to regretfully end. They had reassured that they would uncover matters soonest possible and reveal What Was Going On, et cetera. With the King and Queen's diplomatic, soothing tongues, matters were less chaotic.

The guests had dispersed as soon as they could, fearing for their own safety. All the castle inhabitants, especially those close to King Kyle and Queen Dora, saw their disappointed, frustrated eyes and kept silent. Ivan and Sheba did all they could to help, but there was a limit to what they could do. King Kyle and Queen Dora had handled the situation most efficiently, but tonight was not the end of it, that Sheba was sure.

She could only imagine all the protests and complaints put forth by the other nobles and guests due to the events caused in the days to come.

"Dora's right. You two should rest well. Thank you for helping us out earlier," said King Kyle, nodding his head. "We'll watch over Isaac. He should be awake tomorrow if all goes well, according to the physicians." He looked at his unconscious son fondly.

"Well, in that case, we'll retire for the night," said Ivan. He bowed. "Goodnight, Uncle Kyle, Aunt Dora. And . . . I'm sorry . . ."

"Me too," Sheba added.

The King and Queen smiled faintly. "Nothing to be sorry about, Ivan. You did not do anything wrong," King Kyle corrected. "I wish I could say sorry to Isaac though . . . but that will have to wait. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Uncle, Aunt," said Sheba, curtsying before she and Ivan left the prince's room quietly.

Left together with her husband and son, Queen Dora looked at Isaac tenderly. Shifting his blonde bangs, her gentle, benevolent expression hardened. "We'll get to the bottom of things for Isaac, won't we, dear?"

He replied reassuringly, his mouth set in a grim line. "Of course."

----o----

"You're finally home!"

Garet turned to face his frowning sister, Kay. Being the eldest sibling of the family, the elegant young woman was well known for her infamous temper. Even Garet was afraid of unleashing her temper, though he often was the igniter due to his clumsy manner. He remembered well how she had gone into fumes when she found out that he had kicked her pot of flowers to Wonderland once. Whoa.

"Kay, you scared me for a second there," he huffed, grinning. Truth was, he hardly felt like smiling. He had only stopped by his home to leave a message to his parents that he would be staying in the castle for the night. After all, he could help Mia with lodgings for the night (he _was _Isaac's 'godfather', he reasoned) if he were there. He just hoped he could find Mia easily so that he could sleep quickly. He swore his yawns were making his jaw stretch up to the hilt.

"You look like you're getting ready to leave home when you leave a note on the mantelpiece like that," said Kay, chuckling. "You're not seriously eloping with Jenna and leaving us for a long time?"

He felt his cheeks turning red. Jenna would have boxed him if she heard of that. "Of—of course not! Don't say silly stuff, Kay." He had more important matters than joking with Kay right now. "I just thought you guys might be sleeping by now, so I figured to leave a note to let you guys know that I'll be staying the night at the castle. I've still a few things to do. You're still awake?"

She tossed her loose, long red hair aside and frowned. "Yeah. Mum was starting to get a bit worried. You're staying—" she stopped as she suddenly noticed his disheveled clothing—"What happened? Did you get into some kind of fight during the ball?" she asked, her voice incredulous.

He raised a hand. "It's a long, _long_ story, Kay. I'll tell you about it tomorrow okay? Now I'm _really _dead tired, and I have to go when all I want is just my bed. I'm serious."

Kay Jerra raised an eyebrow. As playful as Garet was, she knew when he was truly serious. Now was such a time. She decided to do as he suggested. "All right. You better come clean tomorrow morning though," she said threateningly in a teasing tone. "Sounds interesting."

"You bet." He grinned wearily. He was starting to sound like his Djinn now, he felt. It was at that moment that the thought suddenly came to him.

His Djinn! He clearly remembered he had assigned Granite, Ground and Bane to help Mia clean up her room before they teleported to the castle. Yet, they had never gotten back to him. They probably assumed that Garet would teleport back to fetch them once cleaning up was over, but they had never communicated with him in the first place. Were they all right?

"Damn," he muttered. What on Mars was going on?! His mind froze when he realised that Jenna was probably missing Flash too. He wondered whether she was thinking the same thing right now. He and Jenna had been too busy dealing with Mia's stepfamily and other things until they overlooked those four Djinn. He kicked himself mentally. Calling himself an Adept even!

"What's wrong?" Kay asked concernedly. "Is there something really bad going on, Garet?"

"I really have to go now," he replied suddenly. "It's really, really important, Kay." He would rush to the inn before going to the castle; it was nearer to his house. No use alarming Kay. Being an Adept (though untrained), Kay was too protective of Garet's Djinn as she found them 'cute'. She would most likely choke him to death if she figured his thoughts now.

"Garet? But you just got back home!"

He was already out of the door by then, his thoughts a blur. _Damn. Don't I have already too many things to do? Those Djinn better be just acting naughty and playing the fool by not reporting to me, otherwise . . . _

Nevertheless, he knew he would have a sleepless night, whether he got to bed or otherwise.

----o----

"It was Mia, no doubt about it! She and Lady Lushielle must have been the same person!"

Picard tried his best to soothe Alex's agitation. "I know, Alex, I know. It's been years, but I'd recognise Mia's voice any day. I wonder why she had to attend the ball secretly . . ." Then he sighed. "It has been a bad day."

Alex strode over and sat down next to his brother on the bed. "Actually it was a good day at the outset, really. I mean, I finally got the chance to meet Mia again, even though the circumstances were strange. But later . . ." he trailed off.

The damage was done. He wondered how it would affect diplomatic relationships between Vale and other countries. It might even adversely affect the military side too, he reflected. It was, indeed, a tragedy.

"Alex? Alex!"

"Huh?" he blinked his eyes and looked at Picard sheepishly. "Sorry. I was thinking things over."

Picard nodded. "It's understandable. It was a disaster. Come to think of it, Ivan's words has come true in the end . . . remember how he told us there might be danger trying to harm His Highness? It must have foreshadowed that Lady Hynas poisoning His Highness. After all, Mia's accusations must be true, otherwise they would not have escaped. I'm sure the King and Queen realise that also."

Alex sighed. "And yet, everything was too upside-down to find Mia . . . she's gone now . . ." After all the 'mess' had been cleared up temporarily, he and Picard had set off to search for Mia, but nothing availed their efforts. Both of them were worried, but it was a thought they feared voicing out. It hung silently in the air.

"I think we should see Garet tomorrow," Picard suggested. "He seems to know a lot about Mia, from the way how he supported her all the way earlier. Let's visit His Highness at the same time, too."

"Good idea. I think His Highness should be able to tell us a lot about Mia. I somehow just feel it." Alex stifled a big yawn and rose from the bed. "But for now, I think I'll just get as much sleep as I can before waking up at half-past five later. It's no wonder His Majesty ordered us to patrol around the castle and tighten securities immediately as soon as dawn breaks."

"Me too. Goodnight then, Alex," said Picard, smiling. "Sleep tight."

"Goodnight, brother," he bid, and closed the door as he stepped out.

Left alone, Picard sighed deeply before tucking himself under the comfortable covers. He relaxed. Switching off the lights in his private quarters, he looked out of the nearby window and set his gaze on the moon. He closed his eyes and tried to rid all disturbing, worrying thoughts from his mind. Why did he felt as though this was just the beginning . . . ?

_There's always tomorrow. A tomorrow to find answers. To make things right. To find Mia too . . . _

He contented himself with those thoughts before letting sleep overcome his consciousness finally.

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter 19 finished! This officially ends the night, and a whole lot of complications to solve starting the next day! Stay tuned to the next chapter to come; things will be getting interesting, I promise:) Comments, suggestions and advice are greatly appreciated! 


	20. Revelations

**Bonding Ties Between Reality and Non-reality**

* * *

Chapter 20: Revelations

* * *

Step, by step. Step, by step.

His feet led him on. He had no idea where he was going. He moved almost mechanically. Odd, the way it felt as though his mind was not quite in the picture.

Yet, he could still see her.

There, she was there. Yes . . . standing just right there, on the edge of the cliff . . . gazing off into the horizon. It was a beautiful sunset.

He was contented to just watch her until the end of time. Limitless. Even if it meant from a distance, gazing onto her back. As long as he could see her . . .

She looked . . . ethereal, a small yet captivating figure in the midst of a breathtaking vista. It was the perfect picture. And he was like the artist, admiring the picture from outside. Wait . . . was he not in the picture itself?

Slowly, she turned back unhurriedly. It was as though he had called out her name. He enjoyed the way she moved, so graceful and nimble. Even her hair seemed . . . refined, as it swayed with the wind. He could not wait to see her face.

But when she faced him fully, he had the shock of his life.

It was not her face!

It was totally different. A cruel, malicious face, with slanted, pitiless eyes. Her mouth quirked into a wicked grin. Her hair was now red . . . the colour of blood . . .

Why . . . ?

He saw himself stumbling a step or two back. What was happening? She was now laughing at him. Her laugh rose to a shrill, ugly cackle. Her fingernails, long and red, pointed accusingly at him. Was his expression that funny . . .?

Daringly, she stepped back nearer and nearer to the edge of the cliff. Bits of rocks crumbled down. He saw his eyes widen. He cried out something. Still she wore that insolent grin on her face.

Suddenly, her face transformed. It was now the _real_ her, how he had always remembered her. No longer like a witch, but lovely and serene.

Only that she was crying out in pure anguish. Her face was contorted by fear.

She was losing her balance. She was too near the edge. It was crumbling down. Her hand, fair and slender, reached out to him as her eyes widened and she cried out. She was afraid of death.

He sprinted forward, but it was so slow. Everything was in slow motion then. He knew it was too late. He was too far. Too far to save her.

He saw his own hand valiantly reaching out for hers. It missed by a few inches.

He would never forget the look on her face when she plummeted into that black abyss.

----o----

It was a clear, bright day. Not surprisingly, it did not match Garet's mood at all. He scowled at the sun searing its beams and ran a nervous hand through his hair as he leaned against the gates of the castle, entertaining his thoughts. Today had to be the worst of the worst days, he felt.

Soon enough, the person he was waiting for, dressed in a simple light yellow frock, came. He smiled faintly as she hurried along.

"I'm sorry I'm a bit late," Jenna apologised sheepishly. "I hope you didn't wait too long?"

He shook his head, grinning. "Nah, don't worry about it." Then his expression darkened. "We've got bigger things to worry about as it is. Let's walk inside the castle to visit Isaac as we talk. I've got big, bad news, Jen."

Her eyes widened, her red orbs full of apprehension. Walking up to him, Jenna also perceived a pronounced line of distress in her childhood friend. She rarely saw that sort of expression in him, but when it did, it was a big cause for concern. Almost at the same time she remembered something.

"Garet, is it about . . . Flash? Right before I fell asleep I suddenly realised that Flash didn't get back to me at all the whole night . . . I was worried . . . but I seriously couldn't budge an inch once I was in bed," she confessed guiltily. "How about Granite, Ground and Bane?"

Garet shook his head again, this time grimly. He quickened his steps. "Gone. Just like that. I thought they were maybe playing tricks on us, so I checked the inn last night before going to the castle." He sighed, rubbing his forehead. It was clear as crystal that he did not have a good night's sleep.

Jenna instinctively felt that developments would be ghastly. She almost had to jog to keep up with his strides. "And . . .?"

"I couldn't find them . . . I inspected Mia's and her stepfamily's rooms, and they're not there. Gone. They're not even responding to my call!"

"That's very odd . . . I'm sure they wouldn't joke until that far," pondered Jenna aloud.

"Exactly. Worse, Mia's stepfamily is gone too. With all their belongings," Garet finished gloomily. "All of Mia's things are in a destroyed heap."

"But she's fine, right? I left her at the castle. You found her when you got there, right?" asked Jenna quickly, her eyes full of apprehension. Her anxiety only increased by the second. _Don't tell me . . . ! _

The spiky redhead turned away. It was so difficult for him to speak the truth. Cold, fearful but stark truth.

"I couldn't find her . . ." he almost whispered. "I checked with people around and even the maids earlier in the morning, but aside from Picard and Alex, no one has seen a blue-haired person since last night's events . . ."

Jenna stopped in her steps altogether. Her head reeling, she stumbled back a step or two. Garet immediately caught her hand in alarm.

"B—" Immediately her mind clouded. "Don't tell me her stepfamily got her . . .? But—that's impossible! I left her at the castle with everyone else, safe and sound! And we were chasing all four of them the whole time! They couldn't have gotten to her . . ." she trailed off dismally.

He looked away again. "That's what I thought too . . . but what with all that's been happening, I don't really know what to think right now . . ."

"What happened to her . . .?" she whispered.

He sighed. "I don't know . . . for all we know, maybe the stepfamily somehow snuck back into the castle after they threw us off their track . . . got her and maybe ran off in the wee hours of the morning. I'll ask Ivan to look up the time schedule for ships leaving the docks, but I doubt there were any yesterday. Besides, being Adepts, they could have teleported themselves off," he reasoned dolefully. "Could be anywhere now . . ."

"B—but Mia would be facing hell if she got captured by them!" Jenna cried out. "They'd kill her!"

He wheeled around to face her. "That's exactly what I'm scared of now . . ." he muttered. "I just hope we're jumping to conclusions . . . after all, not finding Mia doesn't mean they got hold of her, right?" He was trying his best to think positively, refusing to believe that his worst fears were confirmed.

"But she wouldn't have disappeared without leaving some kind of note for us somehow . . . she's not like that! Mia is gone, our Djinn are gone, and they're gone too! They probably got back to the inn and found our Djinn there, and . . ." she said helplessly.

Garet slammed his fist on the wall encircling the castle compound. No matter how they tried to twist the facts around, the chances of Mia being in danger were very high. Murderously high. He sighed.

"There's nothing we can do . . . no use formulating our own conclusions, Jen. We should tell Isaac, Uncle Kyle and Aunt Dora everything, and find her as soon as we can initiate a search. Until then . . . I'm sure Mia will be okay. She's brave, and I'm sure she'll hold up until we find her . . ." He tried to shrug with a weak smile, but it did not deceive Jenna.

She turned her eyes away. "Mia . . . please be okay . . ."

Garet strode up to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure she'll be fine, Jen . . . you know Mia won't go down easily without a fight. What's more important now is that we comb through everywhere we can think of and find her, and catch that stepfamily of hers for good. That's how we can help her . . . come on, let's visit Isaac and tell him the whole story." He managed a small grin. "Okay?"

Raising fearful eyes at him, she nodded.

----o----

"Isaac! Kyle, he's awake! Thank Venus he's awake!"

"Shh, you'll scare him out of his wits, Dora." There were some shuffling sounds. "You all right, son?"

Prince Isaac slowly opened his eyes and stared at two hazy faces blankly. He gazed at the dazzling sun from a window and frowned slightly. _Daylight . . ? _He closed and focused his eyes before looking at his parents again. He faintly smiled.

"How long have I been sleeping, Father, Mother?"

"The whole night only, don't worry," his mother replied. "Thank Venus you are finally awake! You took us by shock last night when you suddenly passed out just like that, Isaac. Are you feeling all right?"

"Yes, I think so . . ." he answered vaguely. He got up with slight difficulty and frowned again. _Last night . . . what happ— _

It all suddenly came back in a flash. The ball event. _His _event.

_Wait! _He suddenly clutched his mother's hand, startling her. "What happened last night, Mother?" he asked quickly, casting a worried look to his father as well. To his apprehension, his parents' expressions darkened.

King Kyle sighed and turned away, speaking slowly. "Truth be told, we cannot say for sure we know exactly what happened . . . you just fainted out of the blue while all this confrontation was going on. It was . . . rather chaotic. We called for the physicians to take care of you, somewhat regained order in the room, and—" he sighed again, "there the night ended."

"When the physicians examined you, they found nothing wrong with you," Queen Dora added. "They told us you probably passed out due to extreme fatigue," she explained with a smile. "The most important thing is that you're awake and you're feeling all right, Isaac. You've no idea how worried your father and I were, even though the physicians gave you a clean bill of health."

He lowered his head. "I'm very sorry for causing so much worry to everyone . . ." he said regretfully. Then he looked up at his father curiously. "What do you mean by 'confrontation' Father? I—I remember Lady Lushielle. . ." he trailed off.

Thoughts of her flooded his mind now, unlike the previous night when he had his temporary memory loss. Thank Venus it was all right now. Those memories . . . somehow, he wanted to keep them . . . it made that night . . . _special. _It meant a lot to him.

"What did she say? I—I did not really hear her speak," he admitted slowly.

_What was really going on last night . . . ? _If he remembered correctly, she was objecting to his choice. Yes, he chose Lady Hynas, the kind, caring young lady, and Lady Lushielle had demurred. It had totally taken him aback. He had never thought her as the type to create a humiliating scene in front of the public. He felt surprised, yet sorry for her.

Queen Dora looked at him, startled. "You did not? Well . . ." said she hesitantly. Isaac saw his parents exchanging glances and felt even more mystified.

"Isaac, I'm afraid we have to break very, very serious news to you."

The gravity of her tone struck a strange note in him. "What is wrong, Mother? What exactly happened?"

"Let me tell him, Dora," said King Kyle, taking in charge of the situation. "Son, do you remember when you gave your decision to the crowd, this . . . Lady Lushielle opposed your decision?" When Isaac nodded, he went on:

"She was causing quite a ruckus . . . she claimed that Lady Hynas . . ." he paused, looking at his son full in the eye, "poisoned you."

Isaac could not believe his ears. "What?!" he exploded. "Lady Hynas?" His head was reeling. What on earth . . . what did that mean? Based on his judgment, Lady Lushielle was not one to accuse anyone simply without good reason, yet . . .

Poisoning . . . ?

"We were all just as mystified when she said that," his father continued. "We all thought she was insane, throwing severe accusations like that on a whim. She kept insisting she was right. It was quite a bad commotion. We were even more baffled when . . . Garet took her side."

". . . Garet?" Isaac echoed, his eyes widening. "But he would not have agreed with Lady Lushielle unless he knew something definite!"

_What on Venus IS going on? I—I don't understand! Why would Lady Hynas want to poison me? And how would Lady Lushielle have known about it . . .?_

His mother sighed. "Exactly. The whole matter would have just stopped there, if not for her suddenly claiming that some vial containing this poison should be within Lady Hynas' possession if she truly poisoned you. We decided to give her a chance, but Lady Hynas refused adamantly to be searched . . ."

The implication hit him then. "I can't believe this . . ." said Isaac. He was speechless for a moment. Finally he voiced out his thoughts. "Why would Lady Hynas ever poison me? What would she gain? I hardly know her! Is it really true . . .?"

"It must have some truth in it, at least . . ." his father answered gravely. "It was then that you had your fainting spell. She took the opportunity to escape, and even had a few accomplices to help secure her escape. I do not know what happened . . . a few of our guards tried to stop her but suddenly . . ." he stopped abruptly, struggling in his words. "There was this . . ."

"What? What is it, Father?" His worry was increasing abundantly by the second. Even his mother seemed unusually perturbed. What troubled his parents so . . .?

His mother took the tale up. "It was horrible, Isaac . . ." she whispered. "It was like a ball of fire, alive . . . one of her accomplices attacked our guards with it . . . three of them are now badly injured. Our physicians have no idea how it happened, but they have no idea how to heal the wounds inside their bodies . . .

Prince Isaac's eyes widened in disbelief. Fire, alive? How could a fire be alive? Venus, it sounded like a ghastly fairy tale coming true. Who had ever heard, least even seen, such a spectacle before?

King Kyle massaged his wife's shoulders gently. "Everyone was terrified after that. You should have seen the look on their faces, we almost didn't recognise them . . ." He sighed and looked away.

Judging based on his parents' demeanour, it truly must have been a horrifying sight, Isaac thought. _This is worse than anything I've heard before . . . It all sounds so horrible . . ._

Isaac gritted his teeth. He could only imagine how difficult it must have been for his parents to calm the crowd and apologise to them for all the sudden turn of events. The kings and queens would have been definitely hard to please. There would be hundreds of complaints filed in soon, no doubt.

But who would have thought such a glorious night would end so disastrous? No one was to blame . . . except for the perpetrators themselves.

_Lady Hynas . . . she really poisoned me . . .?  
_

Then it suddenly clicked in his mind.

If this was all true, then was this the reason why he had this memory loss . . .? It was the only explanation, ridiculous as it sounded. He remembered now. It was when his memories were dull that he first met Lady Hynas . . . and that frightening illusion he had . . . was it then that she poisoned him . . .? But why . . .?

"Of course, they got away," King Kyle added, his hand curling into an angry fist. "Their actions alone prove that they are, indeed, guilty of what Lady Lushielle proclaimed. I have already sent soldiers to hunt them down soonest possible, but they seemed to have vanished into thin air . . ." He suddenly banged the table nearby, frustrated.

Prince Isaac glanced at his father with concern. It was rare that his father showed rage openly. His mother was probably concealing anger somewhere inside, too . . . After all, his parents were always protective of him. A total stranger poisoning their only son was probably the last straw they could ever swallow. To even imagine such a situation was outrageous!

Venus, he wished all this was some ghastly nightmare. He was only out of action for some hours, and so many shattering events had happened. It was difficult digesting all the information even.

"Don't we have any information regarding them . . .?" he asked slowly.

His father shook his head. "Apart from them being Proxians, we don't know much about them. I've already sent a message to the Proxian government, requesting their help in clearing up this matter, but I doubt they will help much. These . . . these scoundrels must be caught and punished!"

"We will do all that is necessary to catch them, don't worry," his mother told him reassuringly. Her face was grim. "We won't let them go away with what they've caused us. Let them know we are not people to be trifled with!"

Isaac slowly nodded. His mind was in circles by now. "I still cannot believe Lady Hynas did this . . . she seemed so kind . . ." He sighed. "Do not judge a book by its cover . . . she had her ulterior motives to get close to me. But if it's true she poisoned me, why do I feel all right now . . .?" he wondered aloud.

"The physicians examined you closely. According to them, you are perfectly all right. No venom in your blood, no serious symptoms whatsoever. In view of the fact that we have no idea what type of poison she administered to you, we can't do much aside from checking up on your physical health," his father explained.

_Perhaps it is some poison to create memory loss . . . was it in their plans for me to recover from it? Did it involve Lady Lushielle? And how did she know about all this in the first place? _Hundreds of questions were swirling in his head, making him feel woozy.

"Isaac, what we don't know is _when_ the culprits administered the poison to you, and _how_. Can you remember anything? Or did they make you forget about it by giving you drugs as well?" his mother asked anxiously.

He shook his head ruefully. "I don't remember anything like that . . . there were many things I could not remember at that time. I was at the castle grounds when I first met Lady Hynas . . . at that point, my memory was like a blurry image. I even momentarily forgot that it was the night of the ball. Only when she recalled me to all these that I remembered . . . she seemed caring, helpful then . . ." he trailed off uncertainly.

"Venus, we really must get hold of them," his mother exclaimed. His father assented vehemently. "Until then, try to remember what you can, all right Isaac? We will need every pointer as proof. At this instant, we are trying to locate Lady Lushielle as well, but she seems to have vanished as well . . . we will do all we can do unearth this whole matter out, I promise."

Prince Isaac held his mother's hand gently with a tiny smile. "Thank you, Father, Mother. I will try my best. And . . ." he paused hesitantly. "I'm sorry for causing all this trouble . . ."

"It's none of your fault, Son. We're the victims, and they will pay for it," his father told him.

----o----

"General Piers! General Alex!"

The two young men stopped in their tracks and spun around to meet a slightly ruffled Felix.

"Good morning, Sir Felix," bid Alex genially. "I hope you had a good night's sleep?"

The brown-haired man shrugged nonchalantly. "I hardly think anyone would."

There was a pause. "After last night's . . . events, I'm sure," said Piers hesitantly. "It left all of us very . . . disturbed."

Felix briefly nodded. "Speaking of that, there is something I would like to discuss with both of you."

"It's about Mia—I mean, Sarah Lushielle, isn't it?" said Alex slowly.

"Yes," came the immediate reply.

The two brothers exchanged glances for a brief moment. Piers nodded gravely and turned to Felix. "I believe we should discuss this together with His Highness Prince Isaac. There are certain matters which we are unsure of as well. Are you unoccupied right now?"

"Of course."

----o----

Prince Isaac sighed, his finger tracing the outline of the window sill slowly. Even the beautiful day that lay ahead of him could not ease his troubled mind. What could he do now?

His parents had advised him to rest more, ensuring that he regained full strength before concerning himself with current matters. But after moments of tossing and turning around in bed agitatedly, he gave up. Even if he was physically tired, his mind was running like clockwork. How could he rest knowing such turmoil was nesting in his own home?

A soft knock on the door startled him.

"Come in," said he. _No more bad news, I hope . . ._

Much to his surprise and relief, he saw Garet and Jenna entering in a subdued manner. Upon seeing Isaac up and well, Garet's demeanour changed and he immediately rushed over.

"Isaac! Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

The prince smiled. "Yes, I'm fine now, thank you." Turning to Jenna, he bowed courteously. "It's a pleasure to meet you again, Jenna," said he with a smile, remembering the little deal they had regarding calling each other's names.

Jenna waved a hand with a small grin. "Bah, there's no need for all the extreme formalities. It's really great to see you recovering, Your—I mean, Isaac."

"It's the least I could do with all the . . . ruckus going on lately," Isaac replied somberly. He sat on his bed with a sigh, and gestured for them to sit beside him. "At least both of you are here. I could almost become crazy being all by myself, worrying over the whole matter but unable to do anything."

"I know what you mean," said Garet understandingly, lightly patting his shoulder. "Did Uncle Kyle and Aunt Dora tell you what happened last night?"

"Yes, but I'd like to hear your story about it too, if you don't mind," Isaac replied with a small smile.

Before Garet could open his mouth to speak, there was another knock on the door. Entering the room were Piers, Alex and Felix.

Looking around, Piers nodded his head in satisfaction. "I think it's about time we pool all the information we have."

All five other heads acquiesced. "That would be an excellent idea," said Isaac. "Then perhaps we can get a clear head regarding this mess. Anyone would like to start first?"

Jenna sighed. "I guess we should start with who M—I mean, Sarah Lushielle, really is. To begin with, that—I mean, Sarah Lushielle—is not her real name. Her real name is . . . Mia Lushiris."

She saw Isaac cock an eyebrow in genuine shock, and before he could say anything, she quickly continued, "I'm her godmother . . . sort of, like how Garet is Your Highness' godfather. Our families were pretty close many years ago until we parted ways. Back then, I was living in Vale, and she in Imil, so we hardly saw each other," said she.

"Hold on a second, you know Mia?" Alex inquired, wide-eyed. "But Piers and I are her cousins, and we don't know who you are, Lady . . ."

Jenna gasped, covering her mouth with a hand. "Both of you are Mia's cousins? Piers and Alex? My goodness, I had no idea her relatives were so close by all this while! I'm Jenna, Felix's sister."

Piers suddenly banged his fist onto his hand. "Oh, so _you_ are Jenna! Mia did mention you a few times before . . . but I didn't know that it was actually Felix's sister she was referring to . . ."

"Wait!" implored Isaac. He turned to Garet with a vexed frown. "Garet, this Lady Lu—I mean, Mia that we're talking about . . . is she not the one we met in Vale earlier? The one that—"

"That we helped to carry her bags to the inn and stuff, yeah, you got it!" said the redhead with a grin. "I can't really blame you for not recognising her; back then, we were all wearing capes, and it was a _masked_ ball that we had after all. I had a big surprise too when I learnt that Jenna knew her."

Prince Isaac groaned. So that was who Lady Lushielle—no, Mia Lushiris was! No wonder her voice, her eyes . . . were so familiar . . . those startling aqua eyes that attracted him twice, in the streets of Vale and in the pavilion of the castle . . . they belonged to the same person!

He fixed his eyes on Garet sternly. "And you knew? And you say that you three—" he gestured to Jenna, Alex and Piers, "are related to her?"

"Sounds like a bit too coincidental to me," said Felix sharply. "How come I don't know her?"

"You never even met her; you probably forgot that I ever mentioned that name to you," reasoned Jenna critically. She continued soberly, "I know this sounds rather fishy, but it turns out to be purely true . . . I never imagined I would ever meet Mia again, especially in such circumstances . . ."

A third knock on the door bowled everyone over. A curious Ivan peeped his head in and widened his eyes at such a large crowd in the Prince's bedroom.

"Er . . . am I interrupting something?"

"Or missing out on something?" quipped Sheba, standing next to Ivan.

"Don't worry, you haven't missed much," Alex answered with a chuckle.

----o----

"So let me make a recap to summarise things up. Mia Lushiris—alias Sarah Lushielle—is General Piers and General Alex's cousin, as well as Jenna's distant relative. One day, she learnt that her stepfamily plans to secure Vale's throne via poisoning His Highness and travelled with them to Vale. With Garet and Jenna's help, she managed to attend the ball last night to warn His Highness of her stepfamily's scheme to poison him, but her stepfamily did eventually succeed. Am I correct thus far?" asked Ivan.

The others nodded. "And because of that, Mia objected to His Highness's decision in choosing her stepsister as the future bride. Then, the stepfamily got scared and ran away. Garet and I chased them, but to no avail. Meanwhile, Mia was supposedly to go to the servants' quarters and change while waiting for me, but currently she has also vanished into thin air altogether," Jenna concluded.

"We can't overlook the possibility that while escaping, the stepfamily ran into Lady Mia and captured her as well," stated Felix grimly.

"The djinn that Jenna and I left at the inn have disappeared too," said Garet. "The Proxians must have discovered and captured them. Damn it!"

Prince Isaac sighed deeply. "I feel that I've been such a manipulated puppet in those Proxians' hands . . . it is almost unbelievable that there are such people plotting such cruel schemes! Everything makes sense now. The unusual meeting with that Lady Hynas, the memory loss I had, even Lady Lu—Mia's persistently objecting to my choice . . ."

"Indeed . . . each of us knew different bits and pieces of the whole story, but now we have pieced everything and all is clear," said Sheba solemnly. "No wonder Lady Hama had grave suspicions of that Lady Hynas . . . and to think that she and her stepfamily _are _Mars Adepts!"

"Still, knowing that it was very dangerous for Mia, why did you allow her to come to the ball?" Piers inquired, turning to Garet and Jenna. "After getting the whole picture, both of you could have just told His Highness immediately. In fact, the whole matter . . ." he stopped, pursing his lips.

Garet balled his fist and cast his head down. "Yeah, I know . . . it's partly our fault . . . Jenna and I could have prevented all of this from happening . . . but Mia insisted that she come and inform Isaac herself. She felt that it was her responsibility, especially since she was the only one who could recognise her stepfamily, so . . ." he left off hesitantly.

"We can't undo the past, so let's not blame anyone for what has happened," Alex chipped in. "In spite of everything, if Mia didn't come for the ball, Piers and I would still have no idea that she was so near, after so many years of separation . . . right, brother?" He smiled.

Piers acknowledged the words slowly. "I suppose you're right . . . things just had to turn out this way . . ."

"Now that we have the whole picture, we should start planning our next best move," said Prince Isaac determinedly. "If the Proxians are truly Adepts as you speak of, then they are not ordinary criminals to be trifled with easily. We must proceed with extreme caution."

"What would you suggest, Your Highness?" queried Felix.

Isaac rubbed his chin contemplatively. "Well . . . I will discuss all this with my parents presently. Until then, please do not act rashly on your own. Stay alert for any news regarding Lady Mia or her Proxian stepfamily, and report to me instantly if anything should occur."

Everyone nodded.

"Venus, this is becoming a big headache . . ." Isaac muttered, rubbing his forehead tiredly.

----o----

An old, rusty door opened with a loud groan.

"Heh, you're finally back. How did it go?"

"No go," replied a female voice.

"Eh? What went wrong?"

She hissed angrily. "Nothing! It was perfect. We had it all planned up to every detail. _Someone _messed it up."

Suddenly a smooth male voice laughed. "And guess what? We've brought this culprit back to introduce to you, Agatio."

"Really? Sounds like a silly reason, brother. I thought you'd burn her up or something."

"Not just yet. I thought we'd make good use of that trash first before we dispose of her, wouldn't you agree?"

"You mean . . . for that?"

"Precisely."

----o----

_This must be the spot . . . where I was poisoned last night . . . That odd illusion I had must have been a trick done by those Proxians. Ivan was confident that it was a technique only mastered by skilled Adepts . . . _

Prince Isaac took a deep breath, leaning on the trunk of a large tree at the castle grounds. This was the breather he needed, he thought. Away from the business and distractions of daily life, back to the essence of nature. He could then clear his muddled mind, start from scratch and think straight. Tranquility did wonders for him.

His azure eyes lingered at the magnificent castle. From where he was, everything looked perfectly normal. It was supposed to be a beautiful day. Who would ever imagine this day to be such a terrible wreck? By right, the whole household should be filled with joy, celebrating his future wedding.

Yet, now . . . it was just anxiety all around, chaos. He felt like laughing right now at the irony of it all.

If only he had not been poisoned . . .

His mind recalled a snippet of the conversation earlier.

"_But if Mia insisted on informing His Highness herself, why didn't she do so? She had plenty of chances!" Sheba exclaimed._

_Jenna shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure myself . . . but Mia was somehow reluctant to burden Isaac, she didn't want to make him worry . . . that was what she told me during dinner. I think she made the decision to just keep him safely away from her stepfamily then."_

"_Isaac, did anything happen after Jenna and I left both of you alone?" Garet asked, feeling puzzled._

_He pondered for a moment. "Not . . . really . . . no, actually Lady Mia __did__ want to tell me something that troubled her, but by then the dinner gong rang, and I guess I just . . . forgot about it. She didn't say anything either . . ."_

She probably wanted to spare him the burden of knowing that his life was on the line . . . but truth be told, he would have wished to know than to be in the dark. Needless to say, if she had knew things would come to this, she would have come clean with what she knew. He was certain of that.

_Where is she right now . . . ? Venus, I pray that she is safe . . . goodness knows what her stepfamily will do once they find her! _

The golden-haired prince strolled along the path, leading further away from the castle but nearer towards the servants' quarters. It was only mid-morning, yet the sun was already up and shining intensely. Looking up into the sky momentarily, he shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun.

Something sparkling caught his eye.

"What . . ." he muttered aloud. It was from a tree branch close by. Filled with curiosity, he sauntered toward that particular tree and saw a small object entangled on a tree branch, level with his shoulders. He took it down gingerly and peered closely at it.

Suddenly, he gasped as the object struck a familiar chord.

"It's one of Lady Mia's earrings!" he exclaimed.

True enough, it was a long gold clip-on earring, shaped in small twirls and intricate designs. He recognised it; he was confident that it was hers. Jenna could reaffirm that.

But why was it there? Oh yes, he remembered that Jenna had asked Lady Mia to change in the servant quarters. Perhaps the earring had gotten entangled with the tree branch unnoticed as she walked—no, ran—around this corner? Or perhaps, this was where she had a struggle and was captured by her stepfamily . . .?

Mia Lushiris . . . Yes, it was all about her, he thought . . . he chuckled softly. Perhaps Garet was right when he teased him being attracted to her. It _was _true. He couldn't deny that. She made such a lasting impression when no one else could.

Their first meeting in Vale was purely coincidental. Yet he was already . . . interested in her story, in the least. The most amusing fact of all was that he was unconsciously spending time with that very _same_ person during the ball. The moments they shared together in the pavilion, discussing his problems, and finally him asking her awkwardly to dine together, the relief and elation—yes, that was what he felt—when she agreed.

She was an excellent dancer too, he remembered. Graceful, beautiful, merry; she had the makings of a perfect dancer. Of course, it was not just looks. He sincerely enjoyed their conversations, her company. There was just . . . something going on between them, something he could not comprehend.

He regretted so badly that he eventually _did _succumb to her stepfamily's control under the poison. All the anxiety that he must caused her, Garet, his parents, everyone . . . Just one person could affect so many others, he thought.

Looking at the earring in his hand, he reflected wistfully. Did she feel anything, _anything_ other than fear for the kingdom of Vale when he announced his decision . . .?

And why did she leave him all of a sudden during the dance? No one could shed any light on that. It was an impulsive, perplexing move on her part.

Isaac closed his hand over the earring, holding it in his grasp tightly. He had many questions to ask her.

Someday, soon enough, he would ask her . . . once he found her.

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter 20 marks history as I once again make a comeback into writing! I'm finally done with schooling for this year, so I'm free to write occasionally until the end of the year. I realize that they are still people reading the story or checking for updates now and then, so thank you so much for still remembering this story!

Finally Isaac and co. finally piece everything together, but no one knows where Mia and her stepfamily are yet. There's nothing about Mia in this chapter, but she'll get her share next chapter, don't worry! What is going to happen next? And how will the Cinderella touch come into this story? Stay tuned for the future chapters to come, and thank you for reading!


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